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PROCEEDINGS 



AT THK 



CELEBRATION OF THE RESTORATION OF 
THE BIRTH PLACE HOUSE 



OF 



DANIEL WEBSTER 




AT THE BIRTH PLACE IN FRANKLIN, 
NEW HAMPSHIRE, ON AUGUST 28, 1913 



Single copies of this account of the full proceedings at tlie Webster 
Birthplace Celebration may be obtained of the Rumford Press, Concord, 
N. H., with paper covers at iO cents each, 50 copies half price; with 
board covers at i5 cents each or leather bound at 50 cents each. 

Published by the Webster Birth Place Association, organized as a corjioration 
under the Statutes of New Hampshire on October 26, 1910. 



I « * 



WF.BSTKH BIKTII PLACE ASSOflATIOX 
CELEBRATION. 

TABLE OF C0NTP:NTS 

Ok the Proceedings at Franklix, New Hampshire, 
August 28, 1913. 

Pa(;k 

Iiivuciitioii by Hcv. l{ufii.s P. (lanlnor .] 

Opening address by Chict Ju-stirc i-'rank X. Piirsons of Franklin, \'ice- 

President 4 

Motion by Hon. Clarence E. Carr giving a vote of sympathy and thanks 
to Hon. A\illiani E. ('handler of Concord, President, — absent 

on account of .sickness — adopted 7 

•Address by .Mr. (Chandler, read by Hon. (ieorge H. Moses of Concord, 

late United States Minister to CJreece and Montenegro S 

.Address by Ciovernor Samuel Demeritt Felker 14 

Reading by Hon. Henry H. Metcalf ot Concord of Poem by Miss Edna 

Dean Proctor •_» 1 

-Address by President Ernest Fox Xichols of Hanover, Xew Hampshire, 

in b<>lialf of Dartmouth College 24 

Principal oration by Hon. Samuel W. McCall for the Commonwealtli 

of Ma.ssachusetts 27 

.Address by Senator .Jacob H. CialHnger of Concord, read in his absence 

by Hon. .lames O. Lyfonl of Concord 42 

Letters from speakers invited but unable to be present: 

United States Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia 47 

United St.ates Senator Henry F. Hollis (2) of Concord 4N 

Congressman Raymond B. Stevens of Landaff 48 

Congressman Eugene E. Reed of Manchester 49 

Hon. William H. Sawyer of X'ew York City. Chairman of I.o<:il 

Committee 40 

Aiklress by Hon. Samuel E. Pingree of Hartford, e.\-Covemor of \'er- 

mont 50 

.Vddress l)y Hon. David Cross of Manchester, New Hampshire .55 

.\ddnss by Hon. Xahum .J. Bachelder of .Andover, c\-(;ovemor of Xew 

Hamp.shire til 

.Address by Rev. -Arthur Little of Newtonville, Massachusetts 62 

Closing addres.s by Hon. Clarence P^. Carr, \'i<'e-President of the .Asso- 
ciation 65 

Benediction by Rev. H. C. McDougall 69 

Story of the restoration of the birth i)lace; organization of the Web- 
ster Birtli Place -Association of October 2t», 1910, with list of offi- 
[ cers and members and contributors; donation an<l fnvdom trom 

taxation granted !)>■ tlie legislature of Xew llamjjsliire 70 

Xewspajier accounts of celebration, and newspaper comments SO 

Appendix — Fac-simile of Miss Edna Dean Proctor's i)oem on Mr. Wel)- 

ster; -Mr. Chandler's note to his address 107 

Map of Webster Birth Place Farm 1 IS 



PROCEEDINGS 



AT THE 



Celebration of the Restoration of 
the Birth Place House 



OF 



DANIEL WEBSTER 

at the Birth Place in 

FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE 

ON 

AUGUST 28, 1913 



Published by the Webster Birth Place Association, organized as a 

corporation under the statutes of New Hampshire 

on October 2G, 1910 



CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE 
THE RUMFORD PRESS 






-af 



THE DANIEL WEBSTER BIRTH PLACE 
CELEBRATION. 

The gathering was called to order by Chief Justice 
Frank N. Parsons who said, "I believe in the existence of 
Almighty God who created and governs the whole world." 
That was the opening sentence of Webster's confession of 
faith which he sent to his old pastor, Mr. Worcester. Let 
us, as we have met here today, invoke that Almighty Power 
in which he believed. One comes to us today from the 
Elms Farm, which was Webster's. I ask him to express 
in words the thoughts which are in the minds of all — the 
Reverend Rufus P. Gardner. 



INVOCATION BY REV. RUFUS P. GARDNER. 

Let us unite in prayer. Lord, Our God, we believe 
it is very fitting, indeed, that we should look to Thee upon 
this occasion and remember that not only our fathers 
could trust in Thee but that it is well for the sons and 
daughters to rely upon the same Divine Power. And so 
at this time with that confession of faith in our thought 
that has alread}^ been expressed we bow down and acknowl- 
edge our dependence upon Almighty God. We are glad 
as we gather here in honor of one who was, indeed, of great 
honor to our state and to our nation, that at one time being 
asked what he considered to be the greatest thought that 
could possibly fall from human lips or the greatest obliga- 
tion under which man was placed to the Almighty, he said 
that it was his personal obligation to his God. 

And so reverently we look to Thee, kind Father, and 
ask that Thy blessing, Thy smile may abide with us as we 
gather here. We know today that from generation to 

3 



generation there has been a strong behef in God as the 
Father of all, and so we acknowledge gratefully at this 
hour the Fatherhood of God, and we ask that this Father- 
hood may be impressed upon each and every one of us 
as we have gathered here at this anniversary', and we are 
glad that, as the years have been passing, we have learned 
to think more about the brotherhood of man, the knitting 
of heart to heart and of life to life, and are seeking to go 
forth to do good to our fellowmen wherever thej'' may be 
found and under whatever conditions thev mav exist; 
and so may these two beautiful thoughts rest with us at 
this time — the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood 
of man. 

We know that todaj'- we shall hear many excellent things 
expressed concerning him who was a great leader in our 
state and in our nation. Reverently we would pay rever- 
ence to his name. And now seeking Thy blessing upon 
us, upon all who have gathered here upon this occasion and 
all that it means to the city, to the state and to the nation, 
we ask it all in the name of our common Lord and ^Master 
as we seek His blessing to rest upon us in every sense of the 
term. Amen, 



ADDRESS BY CHIEF JUSTICE PARSONS. 

Members of the Daniel Webster Birth Place Associatio?i, 
Ladies and Gentlemen: 

We are met upon the spot where the greatest American 
of his time if not of all time, first saw the light of day, a 
spot already dedicated, already consecrated by what he 
did who was here born. The world well knows what he 
did and will always hold in respectful love and veneration 
the place of his birth. We are met here to celebrate the 
fact that this spot is now placed beyond the touch of hands 
ignorant or thoughtless of his life and service. We are 
met to rejoice in the substantial restoration of the humble 



surroundings from which he came and to plan that the 
same be kept unharmed through all time as a memorial 
of him and as proof of the low estate from which great- 
ness may arise. 

Some one hundred and fifty years ago at the close of 
the French and Indian war, Ebenezer Webster who had 
been one of the Rogers Rangers in that war, just attaining 
his majority and just married, sought a home. He pushed 
up the jNIerrimack to the land which he later inhfe acquired, 
the Elms Farm of Daniel Webster, the Orphans' Home 
Farm of today. Here he turned into the hills and followed 
the brook which runs before us until he came to the Beaver 
Meadows which lie to the south, in miniature an intervale 
like the intervale by the river. Here he made his ''pitch" 
and built the settler's cabin of logs. Beyond to the north 
was the forest and the savage. Here for fifteen years 
Webster's father held a post on the border line of civiliza- 
tion, his house the last upon the Indian trail to Canada. 

The site of the cabin is indicated by the boulder upon 
the opposite side of the road. Later a frame house in 
which Webster was born was built where the house stands 
restored today. 

The flood of the tide which has created a nation in pop- 
ulation and wealth greater than the wildest dream of its 
founders has made an eddy about the spot upon which 
we are. Untouched by the main current it remains as 
when Webster saw it. Kearsarge still stands in the west; 
Punch Brook is still famous for trout. The growth on the 
hills has been cut and grown again, removed and grown, 
but except for such temporary change we may feel certain 
that the view of hill, meadow, wood and mountain upon 
which we gaze is what Webster saw when he visited the 
spot of his birth. 

On my first knowledge of the farm, some forty years 
ago, the title stood ostensibly in one Hiram Shaw, but 
the property was practically owned by Judge Nesmith, 
the life-long friend and admirer of Webster, who held an 



overdue mortgage for more than its value. Subsequently 
the place came to Judge Nesmith by foreclosure. After 
Judge Nesmith's death his heirs, beheving the property 
should be held by the state for all time in memory of Mr. 
Webster, asked the state to purchase it at what they 
considered a low price. But there were watch dogs of 
the treasury. Some one scented a scheme to obtain more 
than the value through a sale to the state and nothing 
came of the offer. Later the property was sold, the lumber 
on it bringing more than the price asked the state. After- 
ward there were various changes of title and the greater 
part came into the possession of the local building and 
loan association by foreclosure some thi-ee years ago. 

The situation was brought to the attention of ex-Senator 
William E. Chandler. Impressed with the beUef that the 
place of Webster's birth should be rescued from the condi- 
tion into which it had fallen and preserved as a memorial 
in such manner as would honor the state which gave him 
birth, with characteristic energy and zeal he joined in a 
campaign with that object. The Webster Birth Place 
Association was formed under his direction, the title 
perfected, the actual site discovered and the restoration 
proceeded to the point at which you see it. ^Ir. Chandler 
has been a moving spmt in all that has been done and 
is entitled to a large share of the credit for what has 
been accomplished. This meeting is his suggestion and 
plan. 

Because of illness, from which I am happy to say ^Ir. 
Chandler is now recovering, he is unable to be present. 
At the last moment we have been forced to present the 
play with Hamlet absent. Suddenly I find placed upon 
myself the honor of welcoming you who have come to 
aid and rejoice with us in what has been accomi)lished. 
I do so most sincerely in the name of the Association 
and of its President, but with the greatest regret, however, 
that you cannot have that welcome from Senator Chandler 
in person. 



''I still live," said Webster. Then it is said he died. 
But the personahty of the man could not die. What he 
was, what he accomplished could not be wiped away as 
with a sponge by a physical change. That what Webster 
was, the principles he stood for, the forces he embodied 
still Uve not only in the hearts and minds of his friends 
and neighbors in Franklin, in SaUsbury, in New Hamp- 
shire, but in the whole country, this great gathering over 
sixty years later at the humble house of his birth makes 
clear. Webster still lives! 

As President of the Association, Mr. Chandler expected 
to preside at this meeting and had partially prepared 
notes of the remarks assigned to him upon the program, and 
is willing that what he has prepared should be read. A 
distinguished son of New Hampshire, the late United States 
minister to Greece and Montenegro, has consented to act as 
reader. I have the honor to present the Honorable George 
Higgins Moses. 

Vice-President Clarence E. Carr tendered a motion as 
follows : 

Before we listen to the address of Senator Chandler to 
be read by Mr. Moses, it seems to me at this time it is 
fitting and proper that we should instruct the Vice-Presi- 
dent of this association, the Chief Justice of our state, to 
send to Senator Chandler the regrets of the Webster Birth 
Place Association for his absence, our own goodwill and 
the best wishes of his fellow-citizens for his speedy recovery; 
these being our greetings to the man of large heart, broad 
views, great knowledge of and deep interest in the affairs 
and history of New Hampshire. 

The motion was unanimously adopted by a rising vote. 



8 



OPENING ADDRESS BY WILLIAM E. CHANDLER 

It is my privilege to open the proceedings of this occasion 
by telling you what has been done by our Birth Place 
Association for the restoration and permanent preservation 
of the little dwelling-house in which Daniel Webster was 
born on the eighteenth day of January, 1782, upon the 
spot where it now stands — then a part of the town of 
Salisbury, now a part of the city of Franklin. 

Mr. Webster, in addition to his surpassing qualities 
as an orator and statesman of world-wide fame, was 
pre-eminently inspired by constant admiration and affec- 
tion for the works of nature — for the joyous places, scenes 
and other aspects of the physical world appearing before 
him; such as are so indispensable to the happiness of 
every one of us in this troublesome yet wonderful world 
in whose vicissitudes we must live on, until there is lov- 
ingly opened before us the better, and, we hope, a little 
easier life for spiritual and immortal mankind. 

At a mass meeting at Saratoga on August 19, 1840, 
Mr. Webster, after attributing to political opponents the 
origin of a reproach that Candidate General William 
Henry Harrison had been born in a log cabin, went on to 
say: 

"It did not happen to me to be born in a log cabin; 
but my elder brothers and sisters were born in a log cabin, 
raised amid the snowdrifts of New Hampshire at a period 
so early that, when the smoke first rose from its rude 
chiiimcy and curled over the frozen hills, there was no 
similar evidence of a white man's habitation between it 
and the settlements on the rivers of Canada. Its remains 
still exist. I make to it an annual visit. I carry my children 
to it to teach them the hardships endured by the gener- 
ations which have gone before them. 

"I love to dwell on the tender recollections, the kindred 
ties, the early affections, and the touching narratives and 
incidents which mingle with all I know of this primitive 



abode. I weep to think that none of those who inhabited 
it are now among the living; and if ever I am ashamed of 
it, or if I ever fail in affectionate veneration for him who 
reared and defended it against savage violence and destruc- 
tion, cherished all the domestic virtues beneath its roof, 
and, through the fire and blood of seven years' revolu- 
tionary war, shrunk from no danger, no toil, no sacrifice 
to serve his country and to raise his children to a condition 
better than his own, may my name and the name of my 
posterity be blotted forever from the memory of mankind." 

On October 11, 1828, Mr. Webster wrote a letter on 
''Local Associations" to his friend, Jacob McGaw, who 
had written to him about a trip to Kingsbridge, White 
Plains, Benn's Heights and other historic places he had 
recently visited. He wrote: 

''I never knew a man yet, nor a woman either, with 
a sound head and a good heart, that was not more or less 
under the power which these local associations exercise. 

"It is true that place, in these things, is originally 
accidental. Battles might have been fought elsewhere 
as well as at Saratoga or Bennington. Nevertheless, here 
they were fought; and nature does not allow us to pass 
over the scenes of such events with indifference, unless 
the scenes themselves have become familiar by frequent 
visits to them. For my part I love them all, and all such 
as they." 

And again, to Chancellor James Kent, on June 5, 1832, 
concerning the former's speech at Mr. Irving's dinner, 
Mr. Webster wrote: 

"One line for the purpose of saying that the speech is 
a delightful little thing, just, sweet, affectionate. When 
I read the paragraph in which you prefer what relates 
to the blue hills and mountain glens of our own country 
to sketches of foreign scenes and foreign countries, I 
wanted to seize your hand and give it a hearty shake of 
sympathy. Heaven bless this goodly land of our fathers! 
Its rulers and its people may commit a thousand follies, 
yet Heaven bless it! Next to the friends beloved of my 
heart, those same hills and glens and native woods and 



10 

native streams will have my last earthly recollections. 
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." 

Moved by this same kind of inspiration which always 
controlled Air. Webster, as well as by a sense of neglected 
duty towards the humble home of their greatest public 
man, citizens of New Hampshire, aided by many friends 
elsewhere, have at last rescued his birthplace from private 
control and— either in the hands of our Association or 
belonging in trust to the city of Franklin— the little building 
as it was in 1782 and as you now see it, with the 130 acres 
of the farm of Captain Ebenezer Webster, wherein were 
born Ezekiel and Daniel Webster, children of Abigail 
Eastman (not in the log cabin in which were born their 
brothers and sisters, the children of :\lehitable Smith)— 
will stand in the far future a precious and attractive 
reminder of perhaps the most noted orator and statesman 
of this or any of the nations of the highest civilization in 
the world. 

The log cabin in which the brothers and sisters were 
born was located upon the same home-house-lot and the 
site is to be so marked by a boulder and a suitable tablet 
giving the result of the latest careful research. 

It is intended by the Association to improve and make 
pleasing the buildings you see — the Inrthplace building, 
the larger mansion and the large barn; and also to beautify 
the 130 acres by walls, gateways and modest monuments 
as well as by landscape gardening so as to make the whole 
most attractive to visitors from near and far away during 
all time to come. 

The next Webster home was three miles away, down 
on the banks of the Merrimack and known as the Elms 
Farm; and the last was at Marshficld, in Alassachusetts, 
on the shores of the "sounding sea," where Mr. Webster 
so much indulged his pleasure in nature, and where he 
died on October 24, 1852. 

It is not my province at this time to speak at any length 



11 

of the public life of Mr. Webster. It has been my privilege 
to do so on two occasions: in the senate on December 
20, 1894, upon the presentation by New Hampshire of 
the Stark and Webster statues to the National Gallery 
in the Capitol at Washington; and upon the presentation, 
on January 18, 1900, of the statue of Webster to be placed 
by Stilson Hutchins, a native of New Hampshire, on 
Massachusetts Avenue of the Capital City. 

Senator Gallinger took part in the proceedings in the 
senate and had hoped to be here today. Our principal 
speaker is a son of Dartmouth, Representative Samuel 
W. McCall, who has studied and eulogized Mr. Webster 
and his works with discrimination, power and eloquence. 

[At this point, upon the understanding that, when the 
proceedings of this day shall be published in final form, 
each speaker is privileged to extend his remarks by a 
general and generous "leave to print," Mr. Chandler 
brings to attention, at some length, two episodes in Mr. 
Webster's career which he characterizes as epochal in 
their nature — as national events rather than orations 
in the career of a great orator,] 

The first of these, naturally, is Mr. Webster's contest 
against the right of a state to leave the Union and in vindi- 
cation of the power of the nation, within constitutional 
limits, to impose its legislative will upon the several states. 
This episode of Mr. Webster's labors for the Union and 
the Constitution culminates in the reply to Hayne which, 
Mr. Chandler declares, destroyed the doctrine of nullifica- 
tion. In support of this declaration he quotes the words 
of Secretary John D. Long when, as the President's spokes- 
man, he received for the nation the statue of Webster to 
which reference has already been made, joining with his 
praise of Webster's overwhelming arguments in the senate 
the luminous judgments of John 'Marshall on the bench; 
and saying of the Constitution framed by George Wash- 
ington and his associates, that to Webster and Marshall 
*'we owe its development, by interpretation and con- 



12 

struction, into the great charter of powers which now 
constitute the national authority. They illuminated its 
letter with the national spirit. They breathed into its 
frame the full life of national sovereignty. ... As 
they prevailed, so they made the United States indis- 
soluble by internal convulsion and equal to the emer- 
gencies of the future which confronted them or which 
confront us." 

The second event to which Mr. Chandler refers is Web- 
ster's connection with and support of the compromise 
measures of 1850, indicated by the "Seventh of March 
Speech" of that year. 

The reply to Hayne, he says, brought to "Webster nothing 
but fame and honor. The Seventh of ]March speech 
produced severe condemnation from the North and resulted 
in Webster's failure to secure the nomination to the 
presidency in 1852, which, Mr. Chandler asserts, should 
have been his. 

Mr. Chandler contends that the contemporary criticism 
of Webster in 1850 has no justification for its continuance 
now; for he argues, no one at that time believed that, 
as a sequence, would follow the repeal of the Missouri 
Compromise, the abandonment of the Wilmot proviso, 
the struggle in Kansas and at last the war for secession, 
while on the other hand every reasonable human being 
hoped that continued conciliatory legislation would in 
time come to find a wise solution of the problem of slavery 
in the United States. 

Mr. Webster's course was based, says ]Mr. Chandler, 
upon an honest motive; and in this is to be found a perfect 
answer to the criticism of the moment — which should long 
ago have disappeared, he urges, in the further light of 
the certain knowledge that Webster, had he lived, would 
have supported Lincoln and the Union and the war to 
preserve it, no less earnestly than did Stephen A. Douglas, 
the destroyer of the Missouri Compromise. 



13 

[Mr. Chandler here referred to the emancipation of the 
slaves and to a history of American slaverj'' contained in 
an address of his before a Grand Army Post at Nashua, 
N. H., on May 30, 1889, now printed as an appendix, and 
said :] 

God hardened Pharoah's heart so he would not let the 
children of Israel go until there had come the plagues and 
the slaughter of the first born of Egypt. So an overruling 
Providence may have ordered the Compromise measures 
of 1850. Without them Secession would then have been 
attempted with as many slave states as free states in the 
Union and the result might have been two American 
republics, one slave and one free . The delay of ten years 
and the destruction of the Missouri Compromise by an 
infatuated south may have been necessary to arouse the 
north and give it victory, with Abraham Lincoln to destroy 
slavery. So if General McClellan had won victories in 
1862 and captured Richmond the war might have ended 
with slavery not destroyed as a consequence thereof. Mc- 
Clellan was defeated and retreated to a gunboat on the 
James to write a letter to Mr. Lincoln telling him how the 
war ought to be conducted with slavery preserved, which 
singularity Mr. Lincoln told me he at once regarded as 
showing McClellan's expectation to be a candidate for 
President in 1864. It is impossible to estimate the impor- 
tance of the ten years' delay of the crucial struggle from 
1850 to 1860. "God moves in a mysterious way his won- 
ders to perform!" 

]\Ir. Chandler's closing words were these, spoken in 
behalf of the Webster Birth Place Association. 

With appreciative thanks for all aid we have received 
and for the attendance this day, we promise that this 
sacred spot shall be preserved and made attractive to all 
the future generations of New Hampshire men and women 
and shall be made an historic spot of sentiment and afTec- 
tion to all true Americans. 



14 

The Presiding Officer: The political animosities of 
the early years of the republic were more bitter than those 
now on the stage of public life can easily appreciate. 

Though Webster was at times at variance with the 
sentiment of the political majority of the state, and though 
the state was early obUged to yield him to the larger field 
furnished by Massachusetts, as whose representative his 
fame as a legislator was won, the state has always claimed 
him and his glory as hers and has placed his figure with that 
of Stark in the Statuarj^ Hall of the Nation. The fault 
of the legislature which neglected the opportunity to pur- 
chase the birth place of which I have spoken is atoned 
by the Uberal appropriation for the purposes of the Associa- 
tion made at the last session. I take this opportunity to 
express the satisfaction of the Association with such ap- 
proval of its purposes, and, in its name, to thank the repre- 
sentatives of the legislature and the executive here present 
therefor. 

New Hampshire is now honored in the executive office 
by a prominent member of Webster's profession, like him 
a graduate of Dartmouth College. I have the honor and 
the pleasure of presenting the Governor, His Excellency 
Samuel Demeritt Felker. 



ADDRESS BY 
GOVERNOR SAMUEL DEMERITT FELKER. 

In the summer of 1839 there appeared in the streets of 
London a man five feet ten inches tall, weighing less than 
one hundred and ninety pounds, who attracted universal 
attention, and who was pointed out by the common people 
with the remark, "There goes a king." Sidney Smith 
exclaimed when he saw him, "Good heavens, he is a small 
cathedral by himself." Carlisle said of him, "Not many 
days ago I saw at breakfast the notablest of all your nota- 
bles. He is a magnificent specimen. As a logic fencer. 



15 

advocate, or parliamentary Hercules, one would incline to 
back him at first sight against all the extant world." 

Since Socrates there has seldom been a head so massive, 
so high. Certainly his was a great body, and a great brain. 
Whence came this man? In what mould was he cast? 
WTiat were his surroundings and what state produced him? 

Ebenezer Webster, his father, a man of no mean ability, 
was born in the southern part of this state in 1739, descended 
from the Puritans of Scotch extraction. When of age he 
enlisted in the Rogers Rangers who in desperate forest 
fighting had no equals. Webster, strong and daring, did 
his full share. ^ATien the war closed in 1763 he settled in 
this town, then the farthest outpost of civilization. He 
was a splendid product of ancestors who had been yeomen 
and pioneers for generations. His wife died ten years 
later, and in 1774, he married again. Soon after his sec- 
ond marriage the alarm of war with England sounded 
and Ebenezer Webster raised a company of two hundred 
men and marched at their head to Boston. He was high 
in the confidence of Washington, by whom he was con- 
sulted about the state of feeling in New Hampshire. 
When there was treason, and rumors of further treason, 
caused by Arnold's treason, Washington said to him, 
"Captain Webster, I believe I can trust you," and he 
was placed in command of the guard before Gen. Wash- 
ington's headquarters the night after Arnold's treason. 

His neighbors trusted him and he held practically every 
office within their gift. He came very near being elected to 
Congress. He sat as one of the judges in the courts of 
New Hampshire. Such was this man, practically without 
education, whose native genius and common sense raised 
him to such a plane. From such a father, with such force 
of will, mind and character, did Daniel Webster spring. 
His mother was Abigail Eastman, a woman of good sturdy 
New Hampshire stock, who was willing to make all sacri- 
fices necessary for the education of her children. 

Webster was a sickly child and for that reason was not 



16 

required to work like other children of the household 
and it was during these years that he imbibed the love of 
country life and country sports that ever after clung to 
him. He walked two and a half miles to school in the 
winter months and for a short while was sent by his 
father to Exeter Academy, a school which had just 
started, and finally he was under the instruction of Rev. 
Samuel Wood of Boscawen for a brief period. 

He was fifteen years of age when his father first made 
known to him his intention to send him to college. "I 
remember," says Mr. Webster, "the very hill we were 
ascending in the old sleigh when my father made known to 
me this purpose. I could not speak. I thought of the 
large family and limited circumstances of my father and 
how could he incur so large an expense for me. A warm 
glow ran all over me and I laid my head upon my father's 
shoulder and wept." 

In Webster's freshman year in college his studies were 
Ovid, the ^Eneid, the New Testament in Greek, and alge- 
bra. There has been a good deal said about Webster's 
indifTerence to the college curriculum and that he followed 
a desultory course of reading by himself. However, his 
moral character and his devotion to duty have received 
the highest commendation from his teachers and class- 
mates. As a writer and speaker he had no equal. Webster, 
while not the ranking head of his class, had the broadest 
mind and influence of any of its members. His advan- 
tages in his boyhood were very limitetl and it is amazing 
that he was able at the age of nineteen to load his class 
in dei:)th of thought and elegance of literary expression. 
During his junior year in college, when a lad of only 
eighteen, he was invited by the townspeople to deliver the 
Fourth of July address which is still extant and shows 
some of the power which ho afterwards exercised so 
potently. 

After graduating from college he read law with Christo- 
pher Gore of Boston, a man of ability, and a United States 



17 

senator. He was admitted to the bar in 1805 and 
practiced for two years at Boscawen, where he was referred 
to by Judge Jeremiah Smith, on listening to his mere stating 
of a case, as ''the most remarkable young man I have 
ever met." 

He moved to Portsmouth in 1807 and practiced law there 
for the next eleven years. He was fortunate in having for 
an opponent Jeremiah Mason, a man fifteen years older 
than himself, whom Webster in after years said, he con- 
sidered the best lawyer he had ever known. The fact 
that he had to contend with a man older than himself and 
of such great legal acumen as Mr. Mason, put Webster 
upon his mettle, so to speak, and we find that during those 
ten years, he may be said to have reached the very acme 
of his power, standing at the head of his profession, and 
being the leading practitioner in the highest state and 
national courts. During this period he had served two 
terms as New Hampshire's representative in Congress 
and had become the leader of his party, and had attained a 
national reputation. He was a Federalist and opposed to 
the Embargo Act, and the War of 1812 with Great 
Britain. 

Within four years after he left New Hampshire to go 
to Massachusetts, he had made his celebrated argument 
in the Dartmouth College case, secured the vindication of 
the Kenistons in the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, 
and delivered the Plymouth oration, which placed him in 
the first rank of advocates and orators. His appearance 
before the Supreme Court of the United States in the 
Dartmouth College case, was his first effort before that 
august tribunal, and by that argument he stepped, with a 
single stride, to the foremost position at the bar of that 
court. History presents no parallel. 

Webster's strides in material prosperity were very 
marked after he went to Massachusetts. He was, indeed, 
the idol of Boston and of Massachusetts, certainly up to 
the time of the Seventh of March speech, 1850. He ap- 



18 

peared in nearly every large case before the United States 
Courts. He served in Congress of the United States 
nineteen years, and was secretary of state under Tyler 
and Fillmore. 

Webster was for a sound currency, and at first for a low 
tariff. As the interests of IMassachusetts changed in re- 
gard to the tariff his vie\\s changed. Although rather 
inclined to be independent, yet after the Whig Party came 
into existence he supported its policies. 

In the Plymouth address of 1820 :\Ir. Webster made an 
attack on slavery and the slave trade which he little dreamed 
would be quoted thirty years thereafter against him as 
an inconsistency. Webster's position with reference to 
the constitution was that there was no constitutional 
right for a state to withdraw from the national union. He 
did, like other great New Englanders who believed with 
him, look upon the Federal constitution as a series of com- 
promises among conflicting interests and argued that 
under such a constitution national politics at every crisis 
ought to be governed by the same spirit of concession which 
made the constitution possible. In the great debate, in 
his reply to Hayne, and throughout his whole life, he 
maintained that the constitution was above the state and 
should be obeyed by each individual in his individual 
capacity, and by each state as well. 

He was by temperament extremely conservative. He 
was not a radical nor a reformer. He lacked the initiative. 
The great secret of Webster's strength as a speaker lay 
in the fact that he made it a point to understate, rather 
than to overstate his confidence in tlie force of his own 
arguments and the logical necessity of their conclusions. 
Webster's speeches, addresses, arguments and state papers 
read today as fresh to his readers as they were to his 
hearers; Henry Clay's need the grace and animation of 
the speaker; while Calhoun held his hearers by the easy, 
flowing sentences that w(>re designed to sujiport his fine 
spun theories. 



19 

Webster had strongly given the pubhc tlie impression 
while combating the disunion sentiment of the South that 
he was also against slavery as it existed under the con- 
stitution, and they little realized how he could be consistent 
and vote for the compromise of 1850. Let us see what 
that was. After the war with Mexico and a large amount 
of territory had been ceded by Mexico to the United 
States, it was proposed by the Wilmot proviso that no 
territory obtained by the United States should allow slavery 
or involuntary servitude within its boundaries. This was 
extremely obnoxious to the South, and six or seven Southern 
states were prepared to secede; these states had all passed 
secession resolutions. There had also sprung up in the North 
the abolitionists or free soilers some of whom sought the 
dissolution of the union and declared themselves enemies of 
the constitution and friends of the new confederacy of states 
where there should be no union with slave holders. ^ 

At this juncture Henry Clay, then past seventy-two 
years of age, came forward with his last great compromise; 
to admit California as a free state and to establish territorial 
government for the rest of the territory without any pro- 
vision for or against slavery. Webster supported this 
proposition on the ground that the condition of the soil 
and industries of the territories were such that it would 
be practically impossible to employ negro labor, and that 
it would avoid offending the South by settling the same 
for all time in advance; thereupon was raised around his 
head a storm of opprobrium and calumny. 

If the Seventh of March speech had not been made, 
Webster probably would have been the idol of the new 
free soil party. 

That Daniel Webster justly believed there was real 
danger to the country was sufficiently proved by the 
Civil War. That he acted from patriotic motives those 
who reviled him the most have since admitted. Practi- 
cally every Republican senator, who abandoned in 1861 the 
provision of the Wilmot proviso when organizing the 



20 

territories of Colorado and Nevada, had in 1850 heaped 
reproaches upon ]\Ir. Webster for not insisting upon the 
same provisions for the same territory. The danger to 
the union which they found a good reason for receding 
from their position had been cruelly denied to Mr. Webster 
as a justifying motive. 

"My paramount purpose," Lincoln wrote to Greeley, 
*'is to save the Union. If I could save the Union without 
freeing any of the slaves I would do it, and if I could save 
the Union by freeing all of the slaves I would do it." Sup- 
pose the South had accepted Lincoln's proposition to 
Greeley and returned to the union with the full promise 
and understanding that they were to keep their slaves. 
What would have been Lincoln's position in history, and 
would any of the calumny heaped upon Webster have 
been Lincoln's share? It may be idle to inquire but it 
all sliows that the people, and not Mr. Webster had changed. 
The radicals North and South were in control, and were 
governed by the impulse which a little later expressed 
itself in the lines: 

"Not another word, try it with the sword, 
Try it with the blood of youf bravest and your best." 

Could Webster have been at the field of Gettys))urg this 
summer and seen the reunion of the l)lue and the gray, 
could he have seen the Constitution honored and obeyed 
in all the length and breadth of this lantl; could he have 
seen a reunited country without one star dimmed and 
their numl)er increased from thirty-one to forty-eight, 
he would, indeed, think he had not lived in vain. His 
was not the eloquence of an (>x]Mring nation, but the elo- 
quence which told of futiiic \ ictory, of future glory, and 
of future greatness. 

We are honored )\v llic presence of tiic licad of Webster's 
Alma Mater; and. likewise, by th<> representative of that 
sister state, once i);iit and parcel of tli(> body of this state, 
to whom wei-e it nior(> tilting lh;it \\'ebs1er should turn, 



21 

when leaving his native state, for the broader field, for 
the expression of his masterly efforts; and again by rep- 
resentatives of that great and lasting national Congress 
wherein Webster served for nineteen years; and yet again 
by many other noble and patriotic citizens who will ad- 
dress us; to these, as to all others here present, I extend 
the greetings of the State of New Hampshire. 

It is highly fitting that this primitive abode of the great 
expounder of the Constitution, the greatest orator of all 
times, a product of our soil, should be preserved as an 
object lesson to our children and our children's children 
to the remotest time. 

To those, to whose patriotic spirit and admiration for 
that which is good and great in the public service, is due 
the formation and completion of the plans whereby this 
historic spot has been preserved against further encroach- 
ment and the house restored to its former site and condi- 
tion, the Sovereign State of New Hampshire extends its 
fullest appreciation and gratitude. It is deeply indebted 
to you, and not alone for the mere immediate results which 
you have here produced, but more for the lasting and 
permanent spirit which your works will tend to induce 
and foster in the coming generations, finding its expres- 
sion in the greater admiration of the foremost of all her 
sons, Daniel Webster. 

POEM BY MISS EDNA DEAN PROCTOR. 

Th(^ I)re8iding officer introduced Honorable Henry H. 
^Nletcalf to read a poem on Mr. Webster by Miss Edna 
Dean Proctor. 

Mr. Metcalf said: Mr. President, I do not know any 
basis of proprietj^ upon which I am selected to read this 
poem of ]\Iiss Proctor except the fact that I am a kinsman 
of hers and that our maternal great grandfathers, before 
the Revolution, settled on the soil of Hopkinton. where, 
many years later, Daniel Webster courted Grace Fletcher. 



22 

Daniel Webster. 

At his birth place, Salisbury (Franklin), New Hampshire, 

August, 28, 1913. 

Hail to the home that reared him! hail to the hills, the 

stream, 
That heard his earUest accents, that shared his earUest 

dream ! 
A place it is for pilgrimage — for gratitude to §hrine 
A name and fame whose grandeur will never know decline; 
And with honor and remembrance and reverent accord. 
For his greatness and his service we bless and praise the 

Lord. 

From his own Kearsarge and Katahdin to Shasta's dome 

of snow, 
From Superior's pines to the tropic Gulf where the palm 

and the orange grow, 
He loved his land and in dreams beheld the splendor of its 

prime — 
A mighty nation nobly dowered for a destiny sublime; 
And he strove to weld the States in one with a strength 

no power could sever. 
For the cry of his heart was, Liberty and L'nion, now and 

forever ! 

We think of him as a mountain peak that towers above the 

lea, 
Where sunshine falls and lightnings flash and all the winds 

blow free; 
And his voice comes back like the sweUing chant, within 

some minster old, 
That floods the nave and thrills the aisles and dies in a 

strain of gold! 
So lofty his eloquence, grand his mien, had he walked the 

Olympian plain 
The listening, wondering throngs had thought great Zeus 

come down to reign; 



23 

For beneath the blue or in stately halls, he swayed the 
hearts of men, 

As the boughs are swayed by the rushing wind that sweeps 
o'er wood and glen — 

As the earth is swayed by the primal fires that burn beyond 
our ken. 

And when nor plea nor prayer availed war's awful strife 
to shun, 

His fervor glowed in the flag aloft and nerved each North- 
ern gun, 

And above the roar of battle and the rage of mad endeavor, 

His cry still echoed. Liberty and Union, now and for- 
ever! 

Do we look alone at the wounding thorn when the crimson 

rose waves high? 
Do we hear but the one discordant note as the symphony 

rolls by? 
The clouds on his fame are like morning mists in the path 

of the full-orbed sun, 
For his glorious, deathless words will shine 
Down the years with a light divine till dawns and days are 

done! 
And whatever world has gained him it will be a heaven to 

him 
That the Union lives, resplendent, not one star lost or dim. 

Hail to the home that reared him! hail to the hills, the 

stream, 
That heard his earliest accents, that shared his earliest 

dream ! 
And while the skies enfold Kearsarge and the meadows 

IVIerrimack river, 
From sea to sea, shall our watchword be 
His patriot heart-cry. Liberty and Union, now and forever! 

Edna Dean Proctor. 



24 

The Presiding Officer: Daniel Webster and Dart- 
mouth College are names woven together in the legal mind 
of America. It is difficult to think of one without the 
other. Webster's success in the Dartmouth College case 
at Washington gave the college national fame, while the 
breach with the state authorities thereby created has long 
since been closed. 

I present with honor and pleasure, Ernest Fox Nichols, 
President of the College which Webster loved. 



ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT NICHOLS. 

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

We are gathered here at Webster's birth place. The place 
of Webster's intellectual birth and of the first awakening of 
his greatest powers was Dartmouth College. Here was 
the home of his childhood; there the surroundings and 
formative influences which developed his manhood and 
gave direction to his growing purpose. The college called 
out his best. 

Great loyalty to his college, faith in her, love for her, 
Webster showed in ways which few men have been given 
power to display. Throughout his life the influence of the 
college was ever strong upon him. There are several 
stories extant of Webster's life in college, which, if true, 
reveal the growing strength of his personality and his firm 
determination to fight his own way in the world, always with 
loj'alty to his ideals but without other fear or favor. I 
shall relate but one of these stories. I know not whether 
this story be true or no, but it is one which at first thought 
you might i)orha])s least expect me to tell. 

^^'obster's college course was ended, so the story runs. 
The Commencement exercises of the class of 1801 were 
over, and together with his classmates Webster had re- 
ceived his diploma. As the assemblage passed out of the 
church ^^'(>l)st('r turned aside, walked round behind the 



25 



church, and there tore his diploma in shreds, saying, "If I 
cannot succeed without this, I would rather fail." Here- 
it may be noticed that in destroying his diploma, if he did 
so, Webster in no way diminished nor altered the educa- 
tion he had received. All the opportunities he had so 
esteemed and so earnestly worked for, opportunities which 
his father and his family had made such great sacrifices to 
secure for him — he had profited by them all and bore their 
fruits within him. The alleged act was but a protest 
against the all too common custom of young men of relying 
too largely upon letters of recommendation for opportunity 
and success. 

^lany young men in our colleges today are there, con- 
sciously or unconsciously, to gain college recognition, to get 
a diploma for the distinction, social and other, which that 
certificate from a good college always confers. The matter 
of getting an education in the true sense, of quickening, 
rectifying, strengthening, their mental powers is by some- 
bovs considered as either incidental to getting a diploma 
or synonymous with it. 

This confusion of ideas was quite as noticeable in Web- 
ster's day as in ours, but his mind was clear, he saw the 
difference. He realized that power comes through knowl- 
edge, that understanding grows with knowledge and knowl- 
edge with understanding, that a diploma is but an outward 
and visible assertion of another's inward and invisible 
stores. He felt the upbuilding which his college training 
had wrought within him and he felt his competence to- 
prove it to any man. He wanted no letters of introduction. 
He would make his own way without leaning on the high 
reputation of his college, nor would he use her name and 
influence to forward his personal fortunes. AMio better 
than he knew what the college had given him, and who 
better than he understood the high uses of that gift? If 
that did not suffice it were better to remain unknown. 
True to his ideals, chivalrous as a knight of old, he would 



26 

not proclaim his mistress until he could do her both honor 
and service. 

In the life of even- man there are two incidents of large 
significance, two things which broadly determine his alle- 
giance. One is the place of his origin, the other the institu- 
tion which educates him. New Hampshire claims, not 
only Webster's birth place, but Webster's college as well. 

Fortunately there has been but one short period in the 
long life of college and state when a divided allegiance was 
possible. On that occasion Webster did not hesitate to 
defend the charter of his college by using all his magnificent 
powers of logical argument and persuasive oratory in one 
of the greatest appeals ever made before a court of justice. 
He earned all before him and gained one of the most sweep- 
ing decisions ever pronounced by the Nation's highest 
tribunal. 

Dartmouth College joins most heartily in the spirit of 
this celebration and as one of the oldest residents of New 
Hampshire expresses gratitude and appreciation for the 
interest and generosity of the members of the Webster 
Birth Place Association, whose labors have made possible 
the preservation of this memorial to the greatest son of 
not only New Hampshire but of Dartmouth College also. 

Added note: Between the speaking of this address and 
the printing of it, facts and records have been brought to 
my attention which whi>lly disprove the story of Webster's 
destroying his diploma. Yet viewed in its true light this 
anecdote is so typical of Webster's personality, indepen- 
dence of character, and chivalrous impulsiveness, it is small 
wonder the storv once invented found wide circulation. 



27 



ORATION BY HONORABLE 8AMUEL W. ]vIcCALL 
FOR MASSACHUSETTS. 

The Presiding Officer: You have already been told 
through :\Ir. Chandler that Congressman :McCall is to make 
an address. 

New Hampshn-e has done so much for ^Massachusetts by 
sending down men to hold office there and furnishing 
summer homes for them in which to recuperate from the 
stress of life in :\Iassachusetts that we feel little compunc- 
tion in drafting a ^Massachusetts man when we have special 
need of service. 

New Hampshire did not furnish McCall to Massachu- 
setts. She only educated him at New Hampton and Dart- 
mouth and lets him live here more or less in the summer. 
At the celebration of Webster's graduation at Dartmouth 
some years ago, ]Mr. ]\lcCall gave an elaborate address 
and more recently he assisted in the same way at the 
dedication of the Historical Society Building at Concord. 

Mr. ]McCall has done and is doing so much for us that 
it seemed to me I ought to find something especially nice 
to say about him in presenting him to this audience. I 
have done my best but I cannot improve upon what was 
said twelve years ago by the first citizen of New Hampshire, 
William J. Tucker. I use that with appreciation, not 
apology : 

''Samuel Walker :\IcCall, student of men and events, who 
reads the issues of the times not in the glare of the hour, 
but in the light of history, steadfast in conviction, strong 
in utterance, in action above expediency." 

I present, Samuel Walker McCall of ^Massachusetts and 
Lancaster, New Hampslnre. 



28 



MR. McCALL'S ORATION. 

You do me an honor which would much more worthily 
be borne by a son of New Hampshire, when you ask me 
to speak to you on an occasion especially commemorating 
the kinship between Daniel Webster and this splendid little 
Commonwealth. She is the proud mother of many great 
sons. In art, in letters, in oratory, in statesmanship and 
in whatever contributes to our civilization, the nation, 
indeed, owes her a heavy debt. But I think I may say 
without disparagement of the others that we meet today 
to do honor to the greatest of her children. Proud as you 
are of Webster, you recognize that his fame is no mere local 
concern of your own but is a precious possession of the 
whole nation. And you consecrate this place today as a 
national shrine to which all Americans may come and have 
their patriotism rekindled. 

It is a very human trait that leads us to commemorate 
on all suitable occasions the lives of great men. We cele- 
brate their birthdays. We look for the anniversaries of 
great happenings associated with their fame and com- 
memorate them. We seek out the spots where they were 
born, the houses in which they lived and we affectionately 
mark them. And the Scotch, as if shrewdly to note the 
event which makes reputations secure, celebrated the one 
hundredth anniversary of tlic death of their great poet. 
It is a good trait hut it would l)e a better one if men would 
not so often fail to show their appreciation while the object 
of it still liv(Ml. It is poor reciuital that the loving honuige 
of later generations can make for the cold neglect which 
contemporaries have bestowed upon some man of genius. 

Tin: C()MiX(; of Wkpster. 

Hut among all the occasions of the character of which I 
have spoken tlicic is none that comes quite so closely to 
the heart or so \ ixidly l)rings the life of a great man before 



29 

us again as that which we observe today. It is more than 
an occasion based upon the calendar when we strive for a 
brief moment to arrest the steady and resistless flight of 
time. When we celebrate the birth we celebrate the dawn- 
ing of a fame. It may have been a birth under most un- 
promising surroundings, shadowed by poverty and want. 
It may have been upon a bleak hillside in some poor country 
whose boundaries hold none too good opportunities even 
for its most favored children. But it is given those who 
follow to see the end from the beginning and not to be shut 
in by the doubt and darkness that envelop the cradle. 
Thus it is that the Christian world takes its inspiration 
from the manger at Bethlehem. Thus it it that we seek 
out the little hut where Lincoln was born as marking the 
spot where heaven touched the earth and wrought a prodigy. 
And so today you bid us come to the birth place of Daniel 
Webster and to gather strength from looking upon the 
same hills and fields and valleys that he first looked upon 
on his coming into the world. Here and in the near neigh- 
borhood he made his home until he came to manhood. 
Spread out before you are the fields over which his young 
feet sped. Not far away you may hear the plashing of 
the river and the singing of the brooks where the old Eng- 
lish sailor taught him to fish. Here were his father and 
mother and his brother, Zeke, between whom and himself 
there was a comradeship which may serve forever as an 
example to brothers. All these scenes were absorbed by 
his young spirit and became a part of the fibre of his being. 
How our patriotism is stirred as we consider the wondrous 
destiny that was wrought out between the first glimpse of 
the world, taken upon this spot and the last weary look 
out of the ]\Iarshfield windoivs. 

It surely was not an unpropitious beginning of a career. 
Poverty there was in plenty. But there was a certainty 
that hard work would wring a living from the soil, and there 
were great stores of health in the bracing air of these hills. 
Povertv of that sort is far better than the luxury which 



30 

pampers and cloys the child of fortune. It sets the mind 
and body at work and gives them the necessary discipline 
of labor. It awakens the combative energies and fosters 
self-reliance, independence and fertility of invention. 
There was a fitness in the time of his birth. It was almost 
coincident with the birth of the nation, with the infinite 
possibilities that lay before it and with its political mechan- 
ism still to be shaped and developed so that it might serve 
the chief ends of government both in peace and war. And 
so his great work waited for his coming. He learned the 
history of his country first-hand from a father who had 
fought in two wars, had served under the eye of "Washington 
and borne an honorable part in winning our independence. 
He was reared in a home that was pure and sweet. He 
could have been brought up with no sturdier stock of men 
than those who lived about him and his contact with them 
strengthening his native qualities of self-reliance and 
courage. He was sent to two noble institutions of his own 
State, Exeter and Dartmouth, already strongly established, 
and he was educated for the bar under happy auspices. 
He must then be accounted fortunate in the beginnings of 
his life and the early associations which clustered about 
him. He was not, to use Burke's phrase, "rocked and 
dandled into a legislator," but he was disciplined in a far 
better school for a youth of heroic mould and it may be 
doubted whether any great man was ever better born and 
nurtured to be a statesman. 

Webster Stronger Thax Ever. 

To do him justice today one has only to speak the general 
acclaim of his countrymen. His life left no hard riddle. 
It did, indeed, end in bitterness and sorrow. But no cal- 
umny could mar the brightness of his day and the half 
dozen decades that have rolled away since his death show 
him to be one of the mountain summits of our history. 
In the swift movement of that time how man}' of the lower 
levels have sunk below the liorizon? How quickly even 



31 

great men have disappeared from the common view. But 
Webster ghtters in the air. He looms up even more grandly 
than he did a half century ago. We can comprehend more 
clearly now the greatness of the work he did and we can 
see that his fame is destined to increase with the growth of 
the nation he did so much to fashion and to preserve. 

Many Unique Distinctions. 

He had more than one unique distinction. For more 
than a quarter of a century he was by general consent the 
leader of the bar of his country. His superb argument in 
the Dartmouth College case, made when he was thirty-six 
j'-ears old, set a new standard even in our highest tribunal 
and thence onward his services were sought in the most 
important cases before the Supreme Court and especially 
in those involving constitutional questions. He acquired 
a weight second only to that of the court itself and his 
opinion is cited today as high authority. His argument 
in the Knapp trial, remarkable in its effect upon those who 
heard it, will, in its published form, defy comparison with 
any other argument ever made to a jury. If he had never 
become distinguished in other fields his preeminence at the 
bar would insure him an enduring fame. 

Preeminent as an Orator. 

But his preeminence as a lawyer was the least of his great 
distinctions. As an orator he attained a place alone 
among his own countrymen and it is doubtful if he is sur- 
passed by any orator who ever lived. He will stand the 
dual test of the immediate effect and the permanent value 
of what he said. He is preeminent as an orator — judged 
by either test alone and judged by a combination of 
the two I do not know where his rival may be found. The 
immediate effect of speech is of the first importance in 
fixing the quality of an orator but the agitation of small 
matter with great wit, the vehement displays of passion 
will not make a great orator even if the listeners at the 



32 

moment are stirred to the point of frenzy. On the other 
hand, we should not accord the rank of a great oration 
to a literary masterpiece delivered in a decorous and 
drowsy fashion and leaving the audience in a condition 
for slumber rather than action. IMuch as we should prefer 
the literarj' masterpiece to the empty declamation, the 
former would have failed at the moment, just as the latter 
succeeded even if it had succeeded also in cheapening a 
cause for the next day and all subsequent time. A great 
speech must make a deep impression at the time of deliv- 
ery. It must also bear permanently the marks of real 
intellectual power. ]\lere leaders of mobs cannot take 
their place among the great orators, however effective they 
may be at the moment. Neither passion nor reason can 
bear the palm alone but great speaking, as Alacaulay said, 
must show a fusion of both. It is difficult to exaggerate 
in the imagination the immediate effect of the speaking 
of Webster when he was fully aroused. George Tichnor, 
who was far from emotional, said of the Plymouth speech, 
^'His manner carried me away completely — it seems to me 
incredible. Three or four times I thought my temples 
would burst with the gush of blood." Opinions like this 
might easily be multiplied concerning his other great 
speeches. His manner kindled great crowds as it did 
Tichnor. 

Remarkable Physical Endowment. 

We must take account of his physical endowment for 
speaking. His voice ran the whole range, from the high 
penetrating tones to the rich organ notes, and its power 
enabled him to address men in acres. The majest}' of his 
appearance lingers in his portraits and can be seen in every 
kind of art which has perpetuated his features. He had 
no. need to pose since the highest effect he could hope to 
attain could be no more impressive than the natural ex- 
pression of himself. The black eyes, big and brilliant, the 
massive and noble head, with wide arched brows, the 



33 

strong and stately figure, the face looking as if carved out 
of granite and yet speaking in every line, all gave the idea 
of tremendous power. No other figure of his time was 
comparable in the impression it made upon the general 
mind. He seemed much larger than he was. William 
Lloyd Garrison, who differed from him very widely, speaks 
of his "Atlantean massiveness" and adds, "his glance is 
a mingling of the sunshine and lightning of heaven; his 
features are full of intellectual greatness." To the same 
effect but more picturesque were Sydney Smith's character- 
izations, a ''steam engine in trousers" and "a small cathe- 
dral all by himself." Many similar opinions might be 
cited from Carlisle, Hallam, Theodore Parker and other 
notable men upon both sides of the Atlantic. This mag- 
nificent appearance was fully matched by the character 
of his speech, and when he was deeply stirred and animated 
by a dramatic talent which was almost the greatest of his 
qualities, one does not need to be told by his contemporaries 
that the effect of his speaking was astounding. 

None of the Tricks of Literary Art. 

Fox's epigram upon Thurlow that no man could be as 
great as he looked, was often leveled at Webster. But when 
one regards the high mark Webster sometimes reached in 
his speeches one can wonder whether any man could look 
as great as he was. The speeches of his mature years 
show most strikingly the literar}' quaUty, and yet they had 
no trace of the spoken essay. First and foremost and 
throughout them all they were speeches and showed none 
of the tricks and pedantries of the literary art. His first 
object had come to be to give suitable expression to his 
thought and his style became simple and majestic because 
his thought was simple and majestic. It was shaped by 
the multitude of occasions which he encountered and 
mastered. He was never consciously constructing master- 
pieces and painfully fashioning built-up periods for suc- 
ceeding generations to admire. If he made a great speech 



34 

it was because a great occasion demanded it. He never 
wasted his oratory or tried to speak better than he could 
but he naturally arose to the demand that was made upon 
him. If the occasion was a commonplace one, he did it 
the justice not to exaggerate it, and if it was a very great 
one he never fell below it. Thus his swelling flow of speech 
moves on like a mighty river seeking its level under the 
certain impulse of the law which governs it, now spreading 
itself out in languid flow, now rising to meet the obstruc- 
tions in its path and rushing on, splendid and resistless 
over every obstacle. 

The Best of English Prose. 

From the eighteen volumes of his works that have been 
preserved one can extract much that is not literature and 
never was intended to be literature. He can find a good 
deal of dry reading. "When he was writing his farmer about 
the planting of crops or making a speech upon a ceremonial 
occasion, he did not assume the grand manner. But from 
those volumes may be gleaned a great mass of genuine 
literature, perhaps a greater mass than can be credited to 
any other American, and some of it deserves to rank with 
the best prose in the English tongue. But in judging it 
we must remember that far the greater part of it was in 
the form of speech, and he would have fallen short of 
being the great orator he was had he subordinated the 
orator to the essayist. Literary pyrotechnics were little 
to his taste, neither would they have served his purpose 
which was usually the severe one of swaying the judgment 
while he banished the prejudice of those who heard him. 
Rarely did he permit himself to make an appeal to preju- 
dice, but he sought to infiuence the action oi men through 
an a]>i)eal to reason. 

The difference between a si)cech which is real literature 
of its kind and a speech which is literature of another kind 
may be seen by reading a great speech of Webster's by the 
side of one of Burke's. Take the speech of the former, 



35 

ambitioush' called the ''Constitution and the Union," but 
which has made the Seventh of March as famous as the 
Ides of the same month, and which will always be named 
from the day on which it was spoken. I am not now refer- 
ring to the controverted questions put in issue by that 
speech but to its form and structure, and in form and 
structure, while it was not his greatest speech, it was yet 
a very great one. It is simple, conversational and yet 
condensed in style, consecutive and reasoned from begin- 
ning to end, rising naturally to heights of eloquence, and 
one can read every word of it at a single sitting and feel 
his interest increase to the very end. If the same severe 
test be applied to a speech of Burke's of equal length one 
will find himself disposed to hurry over parts of it. He 
will, indeed, become enraptured by magnificent outbursts 
here and there but he will find it discursive, amplified with 
the completeness of a philosophical essay and lacking the 
simplicity and driving force necessary to command the 
attention in a speech. If one could leap from peak to 
peak he would find Burke's speeches delightful reading, but 
if he must toil painfully across the intervening ravines and 
valleys he may easily understand how it was that that 
superb rhetorician and philosopher came to be called "the 
dinner bell of the House of Commons." 

The Battle Note in Debate. 

The great debating speeches of Webster reflect the battle 
note. One can appreciate the enormous difficulties upon 
him when he arose to reply to Hayne and can understand 
the concern which was felt by his New England friends. 
As he proceeded we see these difficulties vanish one by one 
until he has surmounted them all with ease. His reply to 
the personal attack upon himself was crushing in its effect. 
Instead of widening the sectional breach by the character 
of his defense of New England he outshone his antagonist 
in the eloquence with which he eulogized South Carolina 
and, trampling sectionalism under his feet, he made his 



36 

immortal plea for nationality and union. Judged by its 
immediate effect, by its intrinsic quality and the momen- 
tous influence it exerted upon the development of the 
nation it must be accorded the first place among all speeches 
of statesmen. As a maker of history it must rank with the 
few great decisive battles of the world. 

As an intellectual product the reply to Hayne was at 
least equaled by others of his speeches. When was there 
such another plea made to a jury as that in the White 
murder trial? A great lawj'er once said to me that he 
placed this speech by the side of ^Macbeth. It has the 
rapiditj' of motion, the dramatic fire, the passion, and the 
command of the springs of human action which bring to 
mind the greatest of tragic writings. 

The Vision of the Poet. 

He had the vision of the j)oet as well as the grasp of the 
statesman. There is, indeed, a vast richness of the sane 
imagination in such passages as that on the greatness of 
England or in the speech at the laying of the cornerstone 
of the Bunker Hill Monument, of which he said: ''Let it 
rise, let it rise till it meet the sun in his coming. Let the 
earliest light of the morning gild it and parting day linge; 
and play on its summit.'' There is no redundancy here. 
There is no pretence, but the upward sweep as unerring, 
strong and darting as the flight of an eagle. He never 
seemed to labor. He attained the great heights easily and 
without effort, ^^'hen extravagance of expression was the 
rule he practised a severe restraint. He did not indulge 
in the style of oratory which exi)ends superlatives upon 
trifles and leaves little for the great emergencies of the State. 
Such an exaniiilc was never of greater moment than at a 
time when every economic difference is apt to be exag- 
gerated into a momentous issue, has lavished upon it all 
the passionate dechimation whicli shoukl l)e reserved for 
threatened liberty, and when the cause of every self-seeking 
candidate is made svnonvmous with the stabilitv of our 



37 

political and social structure. His reason and imagination 
worked together and he sometimes ventured on prophecies 
which were fulfilled with startling literalness. Ten years 
before the Civil War, in speaking at the laying of the corner- 
stone of the extension of the Capitol, he addressed ''the 
men of western Virginia" and asked: '' Do you look for the 
current of the Ohio to change and to bring you and your 
commerce to the tide waters of the eastern rivers? What 
man in his senses can suppose that you would remain part 
and parcel of Virginia a month after Virginia had ceased to 
be part and parcel of the United States?" Virginia was 
declared to be out of the Union on May 23, 1861, and the 
legislature of West ^'irginia was organized on July 2 ot the 
same year. 

Literary Quality in Writing. 

His literary quality is shown not merely in speech, but 
in writings which were never meant to be spoken. Mr. 
William Everett cjuotes Samuel Rogers, whom he terms 
"a remarkably fastidious judge," as saying he knew 
nothing in the English language so well written as Web- 
ster's letter to Lord Ashburton upon the subject of im- 
pressment of seamen. Whether this piaise be too high 
or not, I do not know where there can be found in English 
a state paper that is its equal in dignified and restrained 
power and in overwhelming weight of argument. It was 
followed by no treaty, but it put an end to the discussion 
of a question which had been a serious one for more than 
half a century and had brought about one war. Noth- 
ing remained to be said upon the subject. 

Most Stately Figure of His Time. 

But great as were Webster's attainments as a lawyer, 
orator and master of English style, yet if we thought of 
him in a single relation it would be as a statesman. L^n- 
doubtedly much was due to the harmonious blending of all 
his great qualities, and the lawyer and the orator were in 



38 

large part responsible for the statesman. But he possessed 
a peculiar quality of mind which made him right upon the 
mightiest issue in our histor}-, and he had that dignity and 
distinction of character which ennobled every cause he 
touched and helped put our government upon a loftier 
plane. He was not merely the greatest orator, but the 
most stately figure in the politics of his time. He was 
national-minded. Without seeking expansion through im- 
perialism and conquest, he inevitably took that view of his 
country and its institutions compatible only with its 
unity and greatness. There was an affinity between the 
aspirations of his nature and a great and free country, and 
it is impossible to imagine him upon the side of a national 
government with no real power and subject to all the 
discords and varying whims of a score of little sovereigns. 

Always on Side of Nationality. 

Our political literature was full of support for nullifica- 
tion. Calhoun's belief in it had been strengthened, if, 
indeed, he did not first learn it, in New England itself. 
There was no state in which it did not find lodgment and 
in some portions of the Union it was the prevailing belief. 
In the loose thinking of the day there seemed a necessary 
connection between individual liberty and the exalted 
notion of state sovereignty which made the Constitution a 
mere compact, and not the charter of a Nation. Webster 
inevitably ranged himself upon the side of nationality. He 
became its prophet. All his splendid talents he devoted to 
its service. He spoke in the very crisis of our history, when 
difficulties were appalling, and when the development of 
our institutions might easily have put nullitication in the 
ascendency, and he spoke with an offect which was aug- 
mented with the flight of time. It is not extravagant to 
say that had it not been for him we should not today be 
one nation. What more glorious distinction than that 
could a statesnum have? 



39 

A Limit to AiMbitiox. 

And then there is the dignitj' with which he bore himself. 
If the statesman's calling shall ever be put upon the level 
of the auctioneer's, as sometimes seems not unlikely, it 
will be only after the influence of Webster's example shall 
have ceased. He had an instinct for public service, but 
he had high notions concerning the lengths to which he 
should go to enter it. He weightily declared that solicita- 
tion for high public office was inconsistent with personal 
dignity and derogatory to the character of the institutions 
of the countiy. He lived up to that declaration. He 
retired from the House of Representatives and twice again 
from the Senate. He resigned as secretary of state to take 
up his law practice. He had an ambition to be president, 
but he destroyed his fairest chance of winning the office 
when he was asked for a pledge by a powerful body of men, 
regarding appointments to office, and he refused to make 
it. "It does not consist," he said, "with my sense of 
duty to hold out promises, particularly on the eve of a 
great election, the results of which are to affect the higher 
interest of the country." 

Ignored the Little Politician. 

]\Iore than once his motives were assailed but, excepting 
when he turned upon one slanderer and annihilated him, 
his only answer was to elevate his office by the manner in 
which he carried himself. He had nothing in common with 
the little breed of noisy politicians who defame their own 
virtue by always vaunting it. During the five years when 
he represented our government before other nations as 
secretary of state he elevated his country in the eyes of the 
world. If Carlisle was willing to back him "as a Parlia- 
mentary Hercules against the whole extant world," his 
matchless series of state papers from that on Impressment 
to the Hulsemann letter establishes his equal preeminence 
in that field. 



40 

He believed profoundly in popular government and his 
democracy was bred in the bone. The Democrats were 
not democratic enough, he once declared. They were 
aristocrats. He was opposed to the caucus because it made 
''great men little and little men great. The true source 
of power is the people." The theme of his noble Greek 
speech was against the theory that society should not have 
a part in its own government. But he believed in a popu- 
lar will worked out in laws passed by representative assem- 
blies, and was against anything resembling autocracy. The 
contest of the ages, he once said, has been to rescue liberty 
from the grasp of executive power. He seemed the embodi- 
ment of the ideal of the Greek poet, "the ordered life 
and justice and the long, still, grasp of law, not changing 
with the strong man's pleasure." 

The Seventh of ]\Iarch Speech. 

I shall not reopen the controversy which so long disturbed 
the country over the Seventh of ^larch speech. If the 
making of the speech is conceded to have been a mistake 
one can find comfort in the saj'ing of Mr. Thomas B. Reed 
that the man who never made a mistake never made any- 
thing. But I fancy that some of the worst things said 
about that speech were said by those who never read it. 
Whether or not the speech did nmch to avert disunion at 
that time it is, I believe, amply sufficient to fight its own 
battles. But from the standpoint of liis hai:)piness, it 
would have been better far for him if his good angel had led 
him out of public life before he made it. It set upon his 
track the cry of calumny as it has rarely followed any man. 
Except as it embittered his last hours how petty it all now 
seems. With so nuich falsehood and so litth^ truth how 
secure and improi2;nnbl(> it l('a\Ts liis fame. 

Lasting and Piuceless Fame. 

His faults were those of a gieat and lavish nature. If 
he sometimes forgot to pay liis debts he often forgot to 



41 

demand his own due. They said he was reckless in expense. 
But instead of squandering his substance at the gambling 
table according to the common vice among the statemen 
of his day, his extravagance consisted in the generous 
entertainment of friends, in choice herds of cattle and in 
the dissipation shown in cultivated fields. If he put Story 
under tribute to serve him upon public questions he him- 
self would neglect the Senate and the courts and for nights 
and days watch by the bedside of a sick boy. His faults 
did not touch the integrity of his public character and were 
such as link him to our humanity. If he had been impec- 
cable, incapable to err, with no trace about him of our 
human clay, a Titan in strength but with no touch of 
weakness, we should be dedicating today the birth place not 
of a man but of a god. A superb flower of our race, he was 
still a man and he is nearer to us because he was a man. 
Product of this soil and these mountain winds, of this sky, 
the sunshine of the summer and of the winter snows, the 
hardships of the frontier, the swift-moving currents of 
his country's life, the myriad accidents that envelop us all, 
W'e reverently receive the gift and thank God today for 
Daniel Webster as he was. We who meet here may speak 
for the millions of our countrymen when w^e do this homage 
to his memory. We reverence the great lawyer, the peer- 
less orator and the brilliant literary genius. But most of 
all we honor the memory of the statesman who kindled the 
spirit of nationality so that it burned into a flame, who 
broke through the strong bonds of sectionalism and taught 
men to regard their greater country, and whose splendid 
service in making his country what she is and what she may 
hope to be has won for this son of New Hampshire a lasting 
and a priceless fame. 



42 



ADDRESS OF 
UNITED STATES SENATOR GALLINGER 

The Presiding Officer: In comment upon the proposed 
celebration we are now holding, a Boston newspaper que- 
ries whether Franklin is now raising a senator for ]\Iassa- 
chusetts' use. If that was intended a slur upon the ability 
of this community with Webster gone, the answer is that 
since Webster's time Franklin has furnished from its 
citizens a senator of the United States, and Salisbury is 
also now doing so. Upon yonder hill Senator Gallinger 
makes his home. He has been interested in the Association 
from its inception, and has been active and helpful in everj'- 
way. He consented to take part in these exercises and 
would be with us except for the imperative demand for 
his presence in Washington. He had prepared, in expec- 
tation that he might be able to be with us, an address 
which will be read bv the Honorable James O. Lvford, 
Naval Officer of the Port of Boston, whom I now present. 



SENATOR GALLINGER'S ADDRESS. 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

On this obscure and historic spot one of the few reall\' 
great men that the world lias produceil was born. In 
this age of great opportunity it is difficult to fully realize 
the obstacles that stood in the pathway of this remarkal^le 
product of more than a century and a (juarter ago. His 
bravo fnth(>r had fought under Stark at Bonuiugton. and 
so far as his limited means would allow had given the son 
the advantages that the schools of that day supplied. 
Private instruction was snp])leniente(.l by the teachings of 
Phillips Exeter Academy antl Dartmouth College, the 
latter then a struggling institution of learning in the wilds 
of New Hampshire. \\'ebster graduated from Dartmouth 



43 

111 years a^o, and to the day of his death cherished a love 
that was subhme for the old college. At one time he was 
under the private tutelage of Rev. Dr. Wood of Boscawen, 
a famous scholar and preacher, and it is related that on a 
certain occasion, to punish Webster for some infraction 
of the rules, he was given an unusual task in Latin to be 
learned in a specified time. Doctor Wood did not believe 
that the boy could accomplish the task, but it is said that 
at the end of the allotted time Webster rattled off the 
lines that were given -to him to commit, and continu- 
ing without interruption recited as many more. 

This was perhaps the first practical demonstration of the 
great intellect that in later years thrilled the world with 
its wonderful power and genius. 

It would be presumptuous in me, a layman, to attempt 
to discuss the place that Webster should hold in the pro- 
fession of the law. Others better qualified than I will 
discuss that matter. It is sufficient for me to say on that 
point that impartial history will place him among the great 
constitutional lawyers, not only of this but of all countries, 
and beyond a doubt his fame as a jurist will last throughout 
the ages. Who can tell the extent of the influence that 
Webster's reply to Hayne had on the result of the Civil 
War? Who can estimate how many intelligent Northern 
soldiers, recalling Webster's unanswerable defense of the 
Union and the Constitution, looking in the heat of battle 
at the flag which typifies our national strength, and which 
stands sponsor for the institutions built up under the 
protection it gives, fought more desperately than they 
would have fought had not those thrilling words of Webster, 
'^ Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable" 
been ringing in their ears. The truth is the battle that 
Webster fought in 1830 in behalf of constitutional govern- 
ment had a mighty influence upon the outcome of the 
Civil War, if, indeed, it did not make the success of the 
Union arms possible. In his reply to Hayne, Webster 
struck a death blow to the doctrine of nullification, which 



44 

South Carolina, in the interest of slave labor and free trade;- 
advocated, and which President Jackson summarily dealt 
with. 

Chief Prize Denied Him. 

Webster was a great lawyer, a great secretary of state 
and a great senator, but the chief prize for which he con- 
tended — the presidency of the United States — was denied 
hirh. That he would have graced that exalted position as 
he graced the various high places which he filled during his 
eventful and remarkable career, no man doubts, but in the 
economy of things the presidency was for others and not 
for him. Just how much that disappointment tinged his 
later years it is not for us to know, but beyond doubt that 
indomitable spirit and unequaled intellect keenly felt, with 
some degree of bitterness, the blow that shattered his 
highest ambition, and may have had something to do with 
his famous Seventh of March speech, delivered two years 
before his death, and which alienated from him a large 
proportion of his most devoted friends, and yet it may well 
be questioned whether or not even that speech, which 
created such an intense feeling throughout the North, ac- 
companied by the most severe denunciations, cannot be 
interpreted to mean that Webster considered it his last 
effort to save the Union from dissolution. He saw with 
true insight the coming storm that burst ten years later, 
and apparently was willing to make any possible sacrifice 
to avert it. 

Seventh of March Speech. 

In that sj)eech he made concessions to the South that 
were entirely foreign to anything that he had ever declared 
in previous years, and it is not to be wondered at that the 
peo})le of the Nortli lookeil upon it as a compromi.se with 
the South, and a j)ractica] surrender of his anti-slavery 
convictions. True, after a little there was a change of 
sentiment to a considerable extent. Men like Rufus 
Choate, H. H. ("luiis. Prescott, the liistorian, and many 



45 

other men eminent in business and literary pursuits, joined 
with others, the total being 987, in a friendly letter to Mr. 
Webster concerning which Theodore Parker, in his Discourse 
on the Death of Daniel Webster, said: 

*'You know the indignation men felt, the sorrow, the 
anguish. I think not a hundred prominent men in all 
New England acceded to the speech. But such was the 
power of that gigantic intellect, that eighteen days after 
his speech nine hundred and eighty-seven men of Boston 
sent him a letter, telling him that he had 'pointed out' the 
path of duty, convinced the understanding and touched 
the conscience of a nation." 

In that last great speech it is related by Mr. Sydney 
George Fisher, in his book entitled ''The True Daniel 
Webster," that Webster rose in his usual cool, indifferent 
way, passed his hand over his brow, surveyed his hearers 
with that master eye, thanked the gentleman who had 
given him the floor, and then spoke that exordium which 
has always been considered so beautiful and touching. 

For the Union. 

These were his words: 

"I wish to speak today not as a Massachusetts man nor 
as a Northern man, but as an American and a member of 
the senate of the United States. . . . The imprisoned 
winds are let loose. The East, the North, and the stormy 
South combine to throw the whole seas into commotion, to 
toss its billows to the sky, and disclose its profoundest 
depths. ... I have a part to act, not for my own 
securit}', for I am looking out for no fragment upon which 
to float away from the wreck, if wreck there must be, but 
for the good of the whole, and the preservation of all; and 
there is that which will keep me to my duty during this 
struggle, whether the sun and the stars shall appear, or 
shall not appear for many days. I speak today for the 
preservation of the Union. 'Hear me for my cause.' I 
speak today out of a solicitous and anxious heart, for the 



46 

restoration to the country of that quiet and that harmony, l| 

which make the blessings of this Union so rich and dear to 
us all." 

In his reply to Hayne, which has been known as the Great 
Debate, Webster gave utterance to the following splendid 
outburst, showing that at all tines and on all occasions the 
preservation of the Union was uppermost in his mind : 

"I came into public life, sir, in the service of the United 
States. On that broad altar my earliest and all my public 
vows have been made. I propose to serve no other master. 
So far as depends on any agency of mine, they shall con- 
tinue United States; united in interest and affection; united 
in everything in regard to which the constitution has 
decreed their union; united in war for the common defense, 
the common renown and the common glor}-; and united, 
compacted, knit firmly together in peace, for the common 
prosperity and happiness of ourselves and our children." 

A Permanent Memorial. 

Desirous of establishing a permanent memorial to Daniel 
Webster at the place of his birth, a few of his Xew Hamp- 
shire admirers purchased the farm and planned the restora- 
tion of the house. Equally admiring friends, the country 
over, contributed to the work of restoration, and the 
birth place of the illustrious man, whom we today honor, 
is restored to its original form. It is placed on the ancient 
foundations, and stands today in every respect precisely 
as when erected b}' the father of the great senator. A large 
proportion of the structure is the original building and 
the addition is a perfect ro]M*oduction of the part that at 
some time was destroyed. Here let the birth j^lace stand — 
a memorial and a shrine — where patriotic Americans and 
lovers of liberty from all lands can gain inspiration for the 
duties of citizenship and renew loyal devotion to the fun- 
damental principles of a government that typifies what the 
great Lincoln declared it to be, a government "of the people, 
for the people and by the people." Had it not been for 



47 

the matchless defense of the Constitution and the Union 
on the part of Webster we might not be privileged to live 
under such a government today, but thanks be to Heaven, 
New Hampshire supplied the champion, and to borrow the 
words of Garfield, uttered on a solemn occasion, ''God 
reigns, and the government at Washington still lives." 
Long may we as a Nation be led by that same divine hand, 
and long (indeed, while time lasts) may the memory and 
the deeds of Daniel Webster be cherished in the hearts of 
all who honor intellect, admire greatness, and acknowledge 
with reverence the heroic deeds, splendid achievements, 
and patriotic services of this greatest of all Americans. 



LETTERS FROM GUESTS INVITED TO SPEAK. 

United States Senator Hoke Smith. 

United States Senate, 
Washington, D. C, August 26, 1913. 

Honorable William E. Chandler, 
Waterloo, New Hampshire: 

My dear Mr. Chandler — It is with sincere regret that 
I am unable to attend the exercises on the twenty-eighth. 

During childhood I was taught to reverence the marvel- 
ous intellect of ]\Ir. AVebster. My father had heard him 
speak, and knew him personally, and from my father 
my earliest recollection is rich with stories of the boyhood 
of this marvelous man. 

It may well be claimed that no man with greater intellect 
ever lived, but his devotion to his country was greater 
than his intellect. 

At times he differed with his political associates, but 
this was due to devotion to his country dominating his 
life. 

I cannot but feel how my own father would have appre- 
ciated my presence on such an occasion as that which you 
are about to celebrate, and this adds to my regret that 
my duties in Washington prevent me from being with you. 

Very cordially yours, 

Hoke Smith. 



48 
United States Senator Henry F. Hollis. 

United States Senate, 
Washington. D. C, August 14, 1913. 

Hux. J. II. Gallinger. 
United States Senate: 

My dear Senator — I am greath' obliged for your kind 
letter of August 11, asking me to be present and make a 
brief address at the Webster celebration August 28. 

You will realize, I am sure, that it will be impossible 
for me to be present on account of the Tariff Bill. Every 
Democratic Senator has to be on hand until that bill is 
disposed of. 

Sincerely yours, 

Henry F. Hollis. 



United States Senate. 

August 26, 1913. 

The Webster Birth Place Association, 
Franklin, N. H.: 

Gentlemen — I regret exceedingly that the pendency of 
the Tariff Bill ])revents my attendance at the Webster 
Birth Place on Thursday, August 28. 

Ordinarily I could leave for two or three days, but the 
political situation is extremely critical at just this time 
so that my presence is imperatively required. I have 
already visited the Birth Place, and I shall do so again 
at the first opportunity in order to note the changes that 
have boon made by your Association. 

Sincerely yours, 

Henry F. Hollis. 



Representative Raymond B. Stevens. 

House of Rej)resentatives. U. S., 

August 14. 1913. 
Honorable J. H. Gallinger, 

United States Senate: 

M !j (U(ir SoKitor Gnllingcr — I should like very nuich to 
attend the celebration phinuod for August 28 at the Daniel 



49 

Webster birth place })ut the Banking and Currency Bill 
will be reported to the House soon and consequently I 
shall be unable to leave Washington. 

Sincerely yours, 

R. B. Stevens. 



Representative Eugene E. Reed. 

House of Representatives, U. S., 
August 12, 1913. 
Honorable J. H. Gallinger, 

United States Senator, Washington, D. C: 

Dear Mr. Gallinger — Appreciating your splendid cour- 
tesy of August 11,1 regret to say I fear it will be impossible 
for me to attend the celebration in honor of Daniel Webster 
on August 28. Yesterday the Currency Bill was intro- 
duced in Democratic caucus. Its consideration will, 
no doubt, consume a period of two weeks, after which it 
will undoubtedly be taken up in the House. I, therefore, 
feel I must forego the pleasure of a visit to New Hamp- 
shire. 

With sincere regards, I am, 

Cordially yours, 

Eugene E. Reed. 



Hon. William D. Sawyer, [Chairman New York 

Local Committee.] 

New York, N. Y., 
August 27, 1913. 

To Hon. William E. Chandler, President Webster 
Birth Place Association; 

It is a great disappointment that imperative and unpost- 
ponable professional duties hold me here. I join in with 
you in tribute to the great man whose monumental services 
to his country are fittingly recalled in this time of apparent 
distrust of the great instrument of liberty which he defended 
so nobly. 

William D. Sawyer. 



50 

The Presiding Officer: Webster, while the greatest, 
was not the only great man that has gone out from Salis- 
bury. The locality' has produced many strong men who 
made marks upon the times in which they lived. 

Brother Rolfe in his history of Salisbury gives a long list 
which he calls the roll of honor, the Bartletts, the 
Eastmans, the Haddocks, the Pettingills, the Pingrees, 
the Smiths, the Sawyers, the Gales, and others. One of 
that number went out of Salisbury north instead of south, 
but he did not escape office by going to Vermont instead 
of ^Massachusetts. 

I present the Honorable Sanmel Everett Pingree, of 
distinguished military fame and at one time Governor of 
Vermont. 



ADDRESS BY EX-GOVERXOR SAMUEL E. 
PIXGREE OF VER:^I0XT. 

Yonr Excellency, Mr. Chief Justice, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

It gives me a peculiar pleasure and a joyful state of 
feeling that I have very seldom, if ever before, enjoyed, to 
come back to my native town from the hills of Vermont 
and see such a demonstration as I see here today in honor 
of one of my old townsmen, and for the perpetual preserva- 
tion of the birth place of Daniel Webster. 

In my busy life and in various lines of it, it has been 
my pleasure and my duty to be present at social functions 
and on historic occasions quite a number of times, but I 
want to say, that, though this may be my last, it is cer- 
tainly the most agreeable to my soul of any kindred oc- 
casion that I ever had the honor of being present at. When 
I stand here on what was once the soil of my native town, 
when I think over the names of those ancient families 
on these four town ranges through Salisbury, when I 
think of the Pettengills, of the Bartletts, of the Eastmans, 



51 

of the Fellows, of the Greeleys, the Dunlaps, the Websters, 
and the Scribners and Smiths, — oh, I could tell you of a 
long catalogue of notable men whom my boyhood knew 
seventy years ago, and they were most of them the personal 
acquaintances and friends of Daniel Webster. From my 
youth up until I left this region, I have had occasion to 
hear of that wonderful man from the lips of these and other 
men that knew him well; and now to come here to his 
birth place and see an audience that we could count rather 
by thousands than by hundreds — to see the interest that 
they feel in commemorating and perpetuating the sacred- 
ness of that birth place; and when I see this distinguished 
galaxy of gentlemen from New Hampshire and Massa- 
chusetts, many of whom I have known in middle life and 
in old age, but none in youth, save one, because they are 
much younger than myself generally — I feel the greater 
gratification that I have come down from the New Hamp- 
shire Grants to assist, in my small way, in this pious public 
duty. 

And I want to say, fellow-citizens, that I stood here 
until this service was fairly opened and I could see no man 
on this stand that I did not rank in years. I made up my 
mind that I was the dean in years of this occasion, though 
in nothing else, but pretty soon I saw trip across this 
stage my beloved old friend, Judge ^Cross of Manchester, 
that dear old man whom I have known well over seventy 
years, and who at the Dartmouth Commencements, now- 
a-days, has to march at the head of the procession, and it 
made me feel young again to yield the honor to him, the 
grand old man of the alumni of his Alma Mater. 

Fellow-citizens, I was written to by my old friend, 
William E. Chandler, to come down here today and shake 
hands with you gentlemen, and he added: ''If the spirit 
moves you I want you to talk about five minutes to the 
people." 

I assured him that I did not expect I would be able to 
do that, but although I am so deaf I have heard but little 



52 



that has been said here today by these distinguished gentle- 
men, 3"et I could see the inspiration of the occasion and it 
lifted me up to say something. I have jotted down for 
the sake of greater accuracy a few brief words that I 
wanted to say to you concerning Daniel Webster, not that 
I knew him well personally, for, although I have come to 
my eighty-second year, I never was personally acquainted 
with Mr. Webster. I never saw him but once and that was 
from the rear, and I will tell you how that happened. 

]My father and I were riding from Franklin A'illage down 
to what we now call the Orphans Home, or Webster Place, 
and we met a distinguished gentleman — evidently distin- 
guished from the company he kept — riding in a carriage, 
and as soon as we passed by, myfather said to me, ''Samuel, 
did you know that gentleman?" I said no. "That was 
Daniel Webster," he replied. 

I turned my head and saw him from the rear. Now 
if you want to know why I did not see Daniel Webster 
face to face I will tell you. It was because a colored person 
was driving with him. He had his negro servant along 
and he was the first darkey I ever saw, and I couldn't 
distinguish Mr. Webster while he was in sight. I have al- 
ways regretted more than I can express that I never saw 
that arching brow, those cavernous eyes, and that god- 
like head. 

I desire to say to you in a few words some of the things 
that give my impressions and my historic acf[uaintance 
with Daniel Webster as an American, as a man who k)ved 
the American Union, and I do not intend to touch on any 
other of his great virtues, a> T know his every characteristic 
will ))e justly presented by distinguished orators. 

In all his great orations — that one at Plymouth Rock 
commemorating the landing of the Pilgrims — those two 
at Bunker Hill when the cornerstone of the monument 
was laid and when the cai)stono was fitted — in the great 
eulogies on Atlams and Jefferson — in the great debates 
on nullification and secession — and as much as any in 



53 

that great Seventh of March speech— the principal theme 
of all is most conspicuous in his expression of adoration 
of our matchless Constitution and his love for the Union. 

While he loved the state of his nativity, and while he 
loved the state of his adoption, his great concern on all 
occasions was to embrace his whole country in his expanded 
heart. Daniel Webster was in every sense an American. 

His public action and speech seem, as they are reviewed 
here today, like the statesmanship and patriotism of al- 
most his only democratic prototype, that great Athenian 
orator whose platform always was that ''in a republic the 
constant aim of the good citizen should be the dignity, 
permanency and preeminence of the commonwealth and 
at all times and under all circumstances his spirit should 
be truly loyal." Daniel Webster was as much that as 
ever Demosthenes was. 

No man in public or private life from 1820 to 1850 knew 
better the true and growing temper of both North and 
South than Daniel Webster, and fully and prophetically 
realizing the tme and dread fruition of these conflicting 
sentiments to the integrity of the republic, he did and said, 
in all his public utterances, all that could be done and all 
that could be said by any man to cultivate and strengthen 
the sentiment and bonds of that nationality that bound 
the states together and made them one. 

It would seem as if the most conspicuous idea which was 
made more sacred than any other by the golden circles of 
his expressive oratory, that idea which was the pole star 
of his political faith and the touchstone by which his 
standard of patriotism and statesmanship was measured, 
was the idea that the United States of America was one 
nation. 

He believed that without this basic idea as the cardinal 
doctrine and political life of all sections and all men. the 
success and perpetuity of American republican institutions 
were no longer possible. 

He beUeved that the claim of the right of secession at 



54 

the will of a state, the right to snatch a star from the blue 
field of the old flag, the right to repudiate all or any of 
the sacred obhgations which bound the states together and 
made them one — was the outgrowth of a fatal heresy, a 
political Demon which should be exorcised by all the elo- 
quence of his might and main, and to this effort his life was 
divinely consecrated, and through his efforts to this end, 
the heresy was long suppressed. 

As the champion of the Union in the time of its earliest 
perils, and as the expounder and defender of the Constitu- 
tion, when first assaulted, no man in American history, 
North or South, of today calls his preeminence in question. 

All those great sallies of patriotism never lost power and 
control over the hearts and minds of men in his day and 
generation, but they continue to burn and live through 
the terrible throes of those years w^hen, as he prophesied 
and deprecated, ''the land was rent with civil feuds and 
drenched with fraternal blood," and the spirit of those 
great orations will continue to "still live" so long as coun- 
try love continues to inspire the hearts of Americans. 

That last infirmity which our fathers had to deal with 
so tenderly and which ever filled their minds with the 
deepest concern, weighed as heavily on the soul of Daniel 
Webster sixty and se\-enty years after the formative com- 
promise of our Constitution, as it ever did on the souls of 
Washington and Adams and Hancock and Jefferson and 
Jay and Madison, and this spirit shows forth in that beauti- 
ful and inspired apostrophe and prayer of his closing plea 
for the Union in the United States Senate: 

" \Mien my eyes shall behold for the last time the sun 
in Heaven may they not see it shining on the broken and 
dishonored fragments of a once glorious Union; on states 
dissevered, discordant, belligerent: on a land rent with 
civil feuds and drenched, it may be, in fraternal blood, 
but rather let them behold the gorgeous ensign of the Re- 
public still full high atlvanced, its arms and tro])hies stream- 
ing in all their original histor in every land and on every 



55 

sea and in every clime under the whole Heaven, bearing 
upon its ample folds no such miserable motto as 'What is 
it all worth?' or those other words of delusion and folly 
'Liberty' first and 'Union' afterwards; but everywhere 
streaming on its ample face that other sentiment dear to 
every American heart, 'Liberty and L^nion, now and for- 
ever, one and inseparable.' " 

Fellow-citizens, one of the first speeches I ever learned 
was the one of which that is the conclusion. If I ever read 
anything outside of the Holy Writ that has been an in- 
spiration from my youth to my age, to make me love my 
country it is that speech, and every one of our children 
from generation to generation ought to have it by heart just 
as they do the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. 

ADDRESS BY HONORABLE DAVID CROSS. 

The Presiding Officer: With the exception of ^Ir. 
Carr, Vice-President of the Association who has the close, 
we have now heard all whose names appear upon the 
program that are with us. You have noticed Judge 
Cross is with us, who more than any one here present 
reaches back to Webster's time and can give us personal 
recollections of the period, if not of the man. I have asked 
Judge Cross to say a few words and although no time for 
preparation has been allowed him, he has granted my 
request. 

Ladies and Gentleman, Judge David Cross. 

JUDGE CROSS' ADDRESS. 

Mr. President, Ladies atid Gentlemen: 

We meet to memorialize the birth place of Daniel A\'eb- 
ster. As we look upon this small country house, in form 
and locality exactly as in 1782, a feeling stronger than 
for anv one man touches our hearts: and we wish to know 



56 

about Ebenezer Webster, the father, his wife and children 
living here when Daniel Webster was born. 

It is 150 years since Ebenezer Webster left Kingston 
and made his way through deep forests and by untraveled 
paths to this place, and built a log house, and provided 
for himself and family a home. 

Ebenezer Webster, as historians say, ''came of a race of 
commonwealth builders who for a century had lived and 
fought on the soil of Xew Hampshire, and was himself a 
splendid type of sturdy and vigorous manhood." His 
youth was spent in the exciting times of what is called 
the King George's War, when the French and English were 
continually at war, and he himself an officer in the famous 
corps known as ''Rogers Rangers." 

To make a livelihood from such a soil and in such a 
climate as this was of itself difficult. Before he had time 
to remove forests and cultivate the land, he was called and 
left his home, and was a leader in the battles of Concord, 
Bunker Hill. Bennington, White Plains and Ticonderoga. 

The marvel of it is that this man, never inside a school- 
house as a pupil, educated himself so that he held for years 
all the offices in the town, as selectman, moderator, mem- 
ber of the legislature and of the Constitutional Convention, 
and one of the "side judges" in Hillsborough County. 
He was a leader in battle and a leader in all the building 
of the town, the State, and the Nation. 

In 1789 eight states had voted to adojit the Constitution 
of the United States and five had voted against it. It 
required two thirds of all the states to agree to its ad()i)tion. 
At the winter session of the Convention at Exeter Ebenezer 
Webster, under instructions of his constituents, voted 
against its adoption. The Coinention adjourned U) the 
June following. Mi-. \\'el)st('r advised liis constituents 
to reconsider their action ami allow their clelegat(> to vote 
as he thouglit l)est. This was a critical period in tiie 
Nation's history. It" Xew Hampshire siiould vote again 
as before, the chances were that the Constitution would 



ot 



be rejected, and that each state would be an independent 
nation of itself, or part of a weak and useless confederacy. 

The voters of Salisbury reconsidered their action. Mr. 
Webster returned to Exeter in June, made a speech which 
turned the tide, a large majority voted to ratify the Con- 
stitution, and New Hampshire was hailed as the "ninth 
star" in the constellation of the thirteen United States. 

Curtis in his life of Webster says, at one time Daniel 
Webster, referring to this speech of his father, repeated it 
word for word, expressing for it much pride and admira- 
tion. Allow me to give here this speech exactly as 
reported: 

"]\Ir. President, I have listened to the arguments for 
and against the Constitution. I am convinced such a 
government as that Constitution will establish if adopted. — 
a government acting directly on the people of the states, — 
is necessary for the common defense and the general wel- 
fare. It is the only government which will enable us ta 
pay off the national debt — the debt which we owe for the- 
Revolution, and which we are bound in honor fully and 
fairl}^ to discharge. Besides, I have followed the lead of 
Washington through seven years of war and I have never 
been misled. His name is subscribed to this Constitution. 
He will not mislead us now. I shall vote for its adoption. " 

This speech of Ebenezer Webster, in immediate effect 
and in results following, ranks with that of his son, Daniel 
Webster, in his reply to Hayne; in its beautiful simplicity 
and comprehensiveness it reminds one of the address of 
Lincoln at Gettysburg. If at some future day a statue 
of John Langdon shall be placed in our state house yard, 
there should stand by its side the statue of Ebenezer 
Webster, equally worth}' with Langdon of such a position. 

Here 150 years ago commenced a Puritan New England 
home, and if hereafter men and women shall come from the 
North, from the South, from the East, and from the West, 
and from Foreign Lands, they will look upon yonder house 
not simply as the birth place of Daniel Webster, but as a 



58 

typical New England country home of the Colonial and 
Revolutionary days. 

Daniel Webster was the product of this New England 
home. 

A New England home! What was it? What has it 
been and what has it done for this State, for the Nation, 
for the world for the past two hundred }'ears. I wish I 
had the time and the ability to recite the marvelous, yet 
beautiful story of the New England home. I wish I could 
bring before you something that would enable you to see 
as I see in yonder house the family of Ebenezer Webster 
in 1782. 

As I look I seem to hear in that old house the clang of 
the loom, the whir of the wheel, and the song of the mother 
at her work. Some of us had a New England home in 
childhood and know what it was. I remember, as if but 
yesterday, more than ninety years ago, my childhood 
home, the loom, the spinning wheel, the books, the prayers, 
and the rich "counter'' voice of my mother in cradle song 
and old religious hymns. 

Daniel Webster once said he could not remember the 
time when he could not repeat the whole of Watts Hymns, 
Cowper, and Pope, and a large part of the Bible, learned 
at his mother's knee. 

Daniel Webster was great as a lawyer, great as a 
statesman, great as a dijilomatist, great as an orator, 
remarkable in his varied knowledge in many dei)artments. 
In the combination of all these qualities he had no superior, 
and I believe no equal. Yet, as I recall his life, he is more 
to be loved as a man tlian in anything lie achieved. He 
carried into his mature life, even to his last day. tlie keen 
sense of humor and the joyous spirit of his college life. 
He was my Dartmouth lirother. He refounded Dartmouth 
College. His love for Dartmouth was expressed before 
the United States Suj)reme Court at \\'ashington. in a 
tribute of iiKitclilcss jjowci- and elociuciu-c. 1 saw and 
lieard him at Orford in 18-40 in a political speech for " Tippe- 



59 

canoe and Tyler Too." I heard him at Bunker Hill in 
1843. I saw and heard him in Court, and in the Senate 
of the United States. 

I have not time to do justice to his achievements, but I 
ask that you read the three volumes, of five or six hundred 
pages each, of the letters^letters written when he was in 
college, while a student at law, while practicing law in the 
court, while a member of the Senate of the United States, 
letters written during his whole life. Read the volumes 
of speeches, especially read the volume of six hundred pages 
or more, entitled "The Great Speeches of Daniel Webster." 
There is nothing in literature more delightful or more 
profitable to read than these letters and these speeches. 
I have read them many, many times and year after year 
I return to read and enjoy. 

Rufus Choate, being asked to criticise one of Webster's 
speeches said, "I would as soon think of correcting the 
Psalms of David." Edward Everett, being invited to 
criticise or say wherein was any fault in the Plymouth 
address, said ''I would as soon think of wiping the apple of 
Toay eye with a crash towel." 

In 1821 Ex-President John Adams wrote to j\Ir. Web- 
ster in part as follows: "If there is one American who 
can read your Plymouth oration without tears I am not 
that American. This oration will be read five hundred 
years hence with as much rapture as it was heard. It 
ought to be read at the end of every century and indeed 
at the end of every year forever and forever." 

New Hampshire is proud of her mountain scenery, her 
valleys and hills, lakes and rivers, but she points with 
more pride to her illustrious sons, Ebenezer and Daniel 
Webster. 

I heard Rufus Choate in his Eulogy of Daniel Webster 
at Dartmouth College in 1853. In all the records of such 
literature you cannot find its equal. Listen to a few 
words out of its sixty-four printed pages. 

Such a character was made to be loved; it was loved! 



(I I 



60 

His plain neighbors loved him and one said, when he was^ 
laid in his grave, how lonesome the world seems. Edu- 
cated young men loved him. The ministers of the Gospel^ 
the general intelligence of the country, the masses afar off, 
loved him. The}' heard how tender the son had been, the 
husband, the brother, the father, the friend and neighbor; 
that he was plain, simple, natural, generous, hospitable, 
the heart larger than the brain; that he loved little children 
and reverenced (Jod, the Scriptures, the Sabbath Day, the 
Constitution and the law, and their hearts clave unto him. " 
Men and women of New Hampshire, remember this 
typical New England, Puritan home. Make your homes 
such as Ebenezer Webster made his. Teach your children 
to work for the upbuilding of the town, the State and the 
Nation as did Ebenezer Webster. Teach your children to 
defend constitutional government and the Union of the 
States, ''one and inseparable," as did his illustrious son, 
Daniel Webster. 

The Presiding Officer: Most New Hampshire men 
who leave the state acquire prominence in their new homes, 
and hold office. Probably it is easier thus, because there 
is less New Hampshire competition. In the adjoining 
town of Andover resides a distinguished native of New 
Hampshire who did not have to leave the state to get 
office. 

I present the Honorable Nahum J. Bachelder. not long 
since Governor of the state. 



61 



ADDRESS BY 
EX-GOVERNOR NAHU:M J. BACHELDER. 

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

I assume that I am honored with a place in the program 
on account of other reasons than abiUty to make an ex- 
tended address. I assure you I shall not attempt it and 
will detain you but a moment. 

No state excels New Hampshire in her contribution 
to the Hst of leaders in social, educational, political and 
industrial affairs of the Nation, and the name of Daniel 
Webster easily heads that list. 

We have Hstened today to a recital of facts connected 
with his marvelous mental development, his great self- 
reliance and the great achievements which are sure to 
follow such a combination of qualities. This is well, for 
there maj^ be among the granite hills of New Hamp- 
shire today some youth who will be inspired by the Stories 
told upon this occasion to become as illustrious in his 
day and generation as was Mr. Webster in his. And 
further, you will allow me to emphasize in a word what 
has been so well said here in regard to Mr. Webster's 
interest in agriculture. 

The Daniel Webster plow with which he turned the 
rugged soil of his New Hampshire farm has more than a 
national reputation, and the incident of his oxen being 
driven past his windows when he was lying upon his dying 
bed, that he might look into their peaceful eyes, was a 
pathetic event in the life of this great statesman. 

Doubtless, while engaged in those great conflicts in 
national affairs, his mind reverted to the pastoral scenes 
•M'hich he loved so well, thereby deriving inspiration and 
furnishing force to his expression. When these conflicts, 
one after another, ended, he found solace and comfort, 
.and inspiration for other battles, in turning the soil of his 
JS[ew England farm, among his farm animals which he 



62 

loved to caress, and in mingling with the country folk for 
whom he always entertained the highest respect. 

History tells us that all the great leaders of the world 
have ever manifested an interest in husbandry, and with- 
out attempting to make an address I will, in closing, 
paraphrase that sentiment uttered by Daniel Webster 
upon an important occasion which reverberated around 
the world, and so was well typified in his own life: Agricul- 
ture and patriotic public service, one and inseparable, now 
and forever. I thank you. 

The Presiding Officer: I also have the pleasure of 
introducing the Reverend Arthur Little whose right to 
speak I place on the fact that he spends the summer time 
in the town of Webster. Our right to hear him rests upon 
other grounds. 



ADDRESS BY REV. ARTHUR LITTLE. 

Mr. President, Ladies and Genilemen: 

There have been very few men in the country or in the 
world large enough to go round, so that all could have a 
share. Daniel Webster is an exception. Born in New 
Hampshire, adopted by ^Massachusetts, he was restricted 
to no state lines. ]\Iore than any other man of his time he 
belonged to the whole nation and to the world. He lived 
and thought and spoke in terms of national expansion, 
greatness and renown. 

He is the gift of New Hampshire to the world. His 
preparation for college and his early career as a lawyer were 
in Boscawen, iii.\ native town. For this reason, among 
others, his name has been a household word in my home 
from my cliildhood. His brother, Ezckicl, was my father's 
personal friend. Boscawen has always cherished his name 
as a most precious asset in \\v\- notable history. Among 
the great men who have given distinction to the town are 



63 

Daniel Webster, Ezekiel Webster, Gen. John A. Dix, 
Charles Carleton Coffin, Gerrish Farmer, and Moody 
Currier, once governor of New Hampshire. 

Personally, it gives me great pleasure to share in the 
services of this memorable occasion. They are most appro- 
priate. I rejoice in the splendid work of discovery and 
restoration done by this Association. It has thus dis- 
charged a debt long overdue, and deserves the gratitude 
not only of the citizens of New Hampshire, but also of the 
nation. 

The generous homage to the memory of Mr. Webster, 
shown by the presence of the vast assemblage of men, 
women and children, is spontaneous, sincere and well 
deserved. His faults have been condoned or forgotten, 
while his virtues and achievements will live and shine with 
ever increasing lustre, as long as the American Union, 
which he more than any other man helped to preserve, shall 
stand. 

There are two impressions of this day that ought not to 
be forgotten. The first is that, with all his greatness, with 
all his transcendent gifts, and noble companionships, he 
never lost his fondness for the farm and his neighbors. He 
had the utmost respect for an honest farmer. A majority 
of this audience are farmers. Mr. Webster loved the farm. 
He was to the manor born. He was familiar with the 
shovel and the hoe, with summer's heat and winter's cold, 
with hard work and meagre returns for exacting toil. He 
was one with you. This touch of nature brings the great 
man whose memory we revere into veritable kinship with 
those in the humbler walks of life. 

Another thing. We live under the only flag and in the 
only country where a man, born amid surroundings so ob- 
scure and disadvantages in early life so great, ever could 
hope to rise to such sublime heights as he attained. This 
is the glory of America. This is the glory of the American 
Union, whose maintenance and defense became the master 
passion of his life. This more than ever is the glory of our 



64 

coimtiy today. Equality of opportunitj' is the claim we 
make. 

There is not a boy in Salisbury or in Franklin, or in 
Boscawen, or Webster, or any other town in the state of 
New Hamp.shire who, if he realizes his opportunities, his 
advantages, his possibilities in this greatest of all the years, 
1913, may not attain a position of honor, of usefulness, of 
influence among his fellowmen quite commensurate with 
his capacity. Boys, get fresh inspnation here this after- 
noon from the story of this great life! You will never hear 
it recited again with as much minuteness and clearness 
and distinctness and correctness as you have heard it today. 
You will never meet on another occasion that will have 
in it half the inspiration that comes to you this hour. Go 
home, and if you haven't a copy of Webster's life and 
speeches, send or go to a library and get' one and familiarize 
yourselves with his great career! 

We do not half realize the power of great memories to 
stir the heart, quicken the conscience, reinforce the will 
and kindle afresh our patriotic zeal and love for our country. 
I am glad to have had a share in the stirring memories that 
have enriched this occasion. They will give fresh impulse 
and incentive to our daily life. 

"Such spots as this are Pilgrim shrines, 
Shrines to no creed or sect confined; 
The Delphian vales, the Palestines, 
The Meccas of the mind." 

And let us cherish the hope that this may become a 
Mecca towards which we shall turn with unreluctant feet, 
not once in a lifetime, but, if possible, once a 3'ear, and 
stand with bowed heads and thankful, loving, appreciative 
hearts by this sacred spot — the birth place of Daniel 
Webster. 

The Presiding Officer — Chief Justice Parsons: My 
part in the day's work is now over. When the next speaker 



65 

begins, the presiding officer is through. We have kept 
the best for the last. 

I present the Honorable Clarence Edgar Carr of Andover, 
Vice-President of the Association, 



ADDRESS BY CLARENCE E. CARR. 

Mr. Chairman, Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Before I proceed to a consideration of the great subject 
of this occasion, there is another to which I wish to call 
your attention. 

" Things seen are temporal; things unseen are eternal." 
Before you are the temporal evidences of the place 
where one of the greatest American statesmen was born. 
In your minds and hearts, and in the minds and hearts of 
the American people have been inculcated those principles 
for which Webster stood and which are of the "unseen 
and eternal." 

It is not our purpose to absorb to ourselves all the credit 
and honor of replacing these buildings as an everlasting 
monument to the great man who was born here and the 
things for which he stood. Therefore, we extend the privi- 
lege to you and all others. Instead of investing in the 
stocks of railroads which may fluctuate, of industrials 
which you know not of, and in other things which have a 
material value, I ask you in behalf of the Webster Birth- 
place Association, to see its treasurer and buy some of its 
stock, thereby helping to preserve the birthplace and 
memory of Daniel Webster which have an unseen and 
eternal value. 

Invest in this stock to preserve this shrine where all true 
men and women and patriots may come to renew their 
pledges of devotion to our common country, and honor 
New Hampshire's Jove-like son who struck such blows 
for you and me and hberty. 



66 

We are here to testify to our appreciation of the spirit 
and purposes of Daniel Webster. 

His love of liberty', his struggle for the Union and his 
devotion to the government as instituted by the fathers 
for the protection of liberty and the perpetuity of the 
Union endear him to every heart and place us under 

obligations we can onh' recjuite by being good, patriotic 
American citizens. 

The statesman born here blazed our wa}'. From the 
argument in the Dartmouth College causes to his Seventh 
of March speech, Webster's vast and varied statesmanship 
was constructive and evolutionary, sane, splendid, and 
vindicated in the main by subsequent events. ^lore 
clearly than any of his fellows he saw the future possi- 
bilities of this country. His spirit infused into the hearts 
of a people made Appomattox possible. His thought was 
the foundation idea of this nation. 

He battled for American democrac}'. "The basis of a 
successful democracy is moral sovereignty." "American 
democracy is still on trial." AMiile we believe in the 
ultimate fulfillment of the promise of the Republic, its 
success is not yet fully attained. If we disregard the 
lessons of history, if we are careless of our rights and 
duties, if ambition and greed reign, if the Caesar idea 
waxes and the Jesus idea wanes in our national life, again 
in coming times and on coming issues, as in '61, we maj'- 
have to cut the political dykes which surround us and 
once more purge our land with the red waters of the sea 
of battle. God grant this may not happen! Pray God 
we may be true. May wo so understand the logic of 
events that our industrial independence will be as benefi- 
cent as our j)olitical independence. May we know our 
opportunities and meet our responsibilities. IMaj^ we not 
forget the Lincoln lesson that, however strong, no man 
is as strong as the law; however good, no man as good 
as justice; and however wise, no man possesses the wisdom 
of mankind. ]\Iav we also heed the further lesson that 



67 

the American people will not long accept as matter of 
charity that to which they are entitled as matter of right. 

Let us be true to Webster's idea of Union, true to his 
spirit of Liberty, true in our devotion as was he to our 
republican government, with all it implies, through which 
alone the ultimate triumph of American democracy is 
possible. 

The fundamental principles of our government for which 
Webster stood were Union and Liberty. 

What kind of Union? 

The moulding together of independent commonwealths, 
best calculated when independent to conduct their domestic 
affairs, and best calculated as a common w^hole to give 
national strength, to exercise a dominating influence for 
good among nations, and to protect our people in the 
enjoyment of the blessings of freedom and opportunity — 
"an indissoluble union of indestructible states." 

What kind of Liberty? 

It is that divine liberty which alone can make a nation's 
influence immortal. Its spirit is in these hills and moun- 
tains amid which Webster was born. He caught it from 
the echoes of the American Revolution. He read it in the 
story of ]\Iarston ]\Ioor and Runnymede, and in the waters 
set free in the Netherlands by William the Silent. He 
found it in those legends which showed the yearnings of 
men's hearts in the German forests when Caesar with 
Roman arrogance bordered the Rliine, and built his wall 
across an island in the sea. He found it in the wisdom 
and experience of mankind, as, reiterated by the ^Master 
on Sinai's heights, it floated down through the ages in 
the language of the Second Commandment. 

Its source is Justice; its ends, equal rights, equal oppor- 
tunities, beneficent laws and equal protection under them. 
How mightily Webster strove to make his idea the 
ruling passion of a people, we know; with what success, 
our devotion and that of coming generations will answer. 
From this platform this afternoon you have heard 



68 

a distinguished representative from ^lassachusetts, Mr. 
McCall, suggest that the Seventh of March speech might 
have been omitted. Permit me to say, God forbid, ^^^len 
He who rules over the destinies of nations sought for 
some hand in this world of ours which would strike a blow 
for liberty that would ring down the ages, he came in 
the language of the old legend to this modern Arthur, 
and placed in his hands the sword of the Union — the 
excalibur of our liberties — and charged him — 

''Use it well and guard it well, 
So that after time may tell 
Of thy country and of thee. 
Blazoned on whose shield shall be 
Might and right and liberty." 

And so my friends, I would not expunge one single 
word or letter or mark from the Seventh of ]\Iarch speech, 
which taught and is teaching American youth that there 
is something beyond power, something beyond place, and 
that is love and devotion to the American Union. 

Dominated by Webster's thought, animated by his 
spirit, and dedicated to the principles which he gave the 
strength of his life to defend, let us go hence determined 
to preserve upright and transmit pure our Constitutional- 
Republican-Representative Government whoso strength 
is Union and whose object is Liberty! 

So may Webster's work have its fulfillment and Web- 
ster's vision come true. May we and our children, and 
our children's children so live as to make possible the 
triumph of American democracy, and history record that 
"ours came among the nations of the world as the Christ 
came among the sons of men." 

Our Father, God, b(>nigii, sujM'eme. 
Whose light for nil the worlds doth l)eam 
The centuries through, wliose hand doth I'oll 
Their rcM'ords in an (Midless scroll, 



69 

We come to Thee in faith and trust 
To show us what we ought and must. 
Our fathers Thou hast guided well, 
And may the ages later tell 

Of us, their children, strong to save 
The nation that through Thee they gave; 
A sacred trust that will endure 
Preserved upright, transmitted pure. 

For all the steps by progress made, 
For all the power for good arrayed, 
For men courageous, steadfast, free, 
Co-workers in our land with Thee, 

We give our thanks. And from the stars 
That shine beyond our prison bars, 
AVith simple hearts Thy love to feel, 
Thy purposes, God, reveal! 

And when with vision larger grown, 
In time we comprehend Thine own, 
Thy children, still Thy servants meet, 
Let us, in love, before Thy feet 

Pour forth the prayer of virile men. 
And strive toward heights beyond our ken 
With faith in life, and love, and Thee, 
And in Thy blessed Liberty. 



BENEDICTION BY 
REVEREND HENRY C. McDOUGALL. 

Holy Father, may Thy eternal blessing and Thy 
love rest upon and abide with us, now and forever. Amen. 



ORGAXIZATIOX OF THE WEBSTER BIRTH 
PLACE ASSOCIATION. 

This organization was made on October 26, 1910, under the 
corporation laws of New Hampshire in behalf of thirteen mem- 
bers, who had decided to become purchasers of the birth place, 
being Frank X. Parsons, William E. Chandler, Alvah W. SuUo- 
waj^, Warren F. Daniell, Edward G. Leach, Omar A. Towne, 
John W. Staples, Augustine K. Avers, Jacob H. Gallinger, 
Clarence E. Carr, John 11. Eastman, Henry ]\I. Baker, and 
Charles S. Collins. Five persons being enough to start such 
a corporation the articles were signed on the above date only 
by the eight members first above named.* 

The movement originated -vNath the Franklin Board of Trade 
on March 14, 1910, as appears in the Journal-Transcript of 
March 17 as follows: 

Webster's Birthplace. 

committee named to act on conservation of the property. 

At a meeting of the Franklin Board of Trade, Monday even- 
ing, March 14, 1910, a resolution regarding the conservation of 
the Daniel Webster birth place was offered by Hon. Edward G* 
Leach, and was adopted l)y unanimous vote. By the terms of 
this resolution, following a preamble defining its purpose, it 
falls ujion the President of the Franklin Board of Trade to appoint 
the committee called for ])y the resolution. 

Whereas, the Franklin Board of Trade are of the opinion 
that the present is a most favorable opportunity to take action 
toward the permanent conservation of the birth j^lace of 
Franklin's most illustrious son, Daniel Webster, in an appropriate 
manner ; 

•A previous birth pLice organization had been made under the laws of 
New Hampshire on January 21, 1904, by Arthur C Jaekson, Omar A. 
Towne, AuKusline R. .\yers, Barron Shirley. John W. Staples and Charles 
S. Cullia-^, but all the rights of that eori)oralion and the birth pbce Lvnds 
and buildings have been duly acquired by the present Webster Birth Place 
Association organized on October 26. 1910. 

70 



71 

Resolved, That a committee of nine citizens of Franklin and 
vicinity be selected, of whom the President of this association 
shall be one, and the others to be selected l)y him, as a com- 
mittee to consider and formulate such plan of action as they 
may consider most appropriate for the accomplishment of the 
desired object. 

After due consultation and consideration the President of the 
Franklin Board of Trade has appointed the following committee: 
Hon. P>ank N. Parsons, Chief Justice Supreme Court; Hon. 
William E. Chandler, Ex-Senator of the United States; Hon. 
Jacob H. Gallinger, United States Senator; Hon. John R. 
Eastman, Trustee of Dartmouth College; Hon. Edward G. 
Leach; Hon. Alvah W. Sulloway; Hon. Clarence E. Carr; 
Omar A. Towne, Editor Journal-Transcript. John W. Staples, 
President Franklin Board of Trade. 



In the Journal-Transcript of March 24 appears the following: 
"The committee appointed by Dr. John W. Staples, Presi- 
dent of the Franklin Board of Trade, to take action toward 
the permanent conservation of the birth place of Daniel Webster, 
met Tuesday afternoon, March 22, at the law office of E. G. 
Leach. No definite action was taken and adjournment was 
made to a later date when it is expected all the members of the 
committee will be present and visit the birth place. Those at 
the meeting Tuesday were Hon. Frank X. Parsons, Hon. A W. 
Sulloway, Judge 0. A. Towne, Dr. John W. Staples, Hon. E. G. 
Leach, Prof. John R. Eastman and Hon. Clarence E. Carr. 
Senator Gallinger and ex-Senator William E. Chandler were 
unable to be here. " 



Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, 
state of new hampsjiire. 

Office of Secretary of State. 

I, Edward X. Pearson. Secretary of State of the State of 
Xew Hampshire, do hereby certify that the following and hereto 
attached articles of association of the Webster Birth Place Asso- 



72 



ciation liave been recorded in "Records of \'oluntary Corpora- 
tions," Vol. 15, pages 230-231, at Concord, this 31st day of 
October. 1910. 

In Testimony Whereof, I hereto set my hand and cause to be 
affixed the Seal of the State, at Concord, this 31st day of October, 
A. D.. 1910. 

Edward X. Pearson, 

Secretary of State. 



ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. 

We, the undersigned, five persons of lawful age, associate 
ourselves together agreeably to the provisions of Chapter 147 
of the Public Statutes of the State of New Hampshire to form a 
corporation by the following articles of agreement : 

1. The name of said corporation shall be the Webster Birth 
Place Association. 

2. The object of said corporation is the ])ur('hase, and preserva- 
tion and improvement of the farm in Franklin, X. H., upon 
which Daniel Webster was born, the collection and preservation 
of personal property formerlj^ owned by or associated with him 
and by such means or any other to preserve and honor his 
memory. 

3. Its place of business shall be Franklin, New IIam]ishire. 

4. Said corporation shall have no cajiital stock, but may 
accjuire. l)y gift or otherwise, and hold, real and personal estate 
for the ])ur])ose of its organization. All i)roi5erty owned by it 
shall be held solely for that inifjiose. In case, however, the 
said corporation ha\ing acquired said ]>ro])erty shall be dissolved 
or become unable to carry out the ]nirpo.se of its organization tiie 
property of the corporation shall belong to the City of Franklin 
to be iicitl for llic i)ur])osf ;il)ovt' set forlli. 

i). The meml)ers of said corporation shall consist of the under- 
signed and sutii others as may be elected to inembershij) at the 
first meeting, or afterwards, in accordance with tiic l)y-laws. 

6. The first meeting of tiie coriioration for organization, 
election of mcmljcrs and officers, and adoi)ti(»n of l)y-laws shall 
be held at the oiWvv of 1'. N. Parsons in Franklin. X. II.. on \\'ed- 



73 

nesday, October 26, 1910, at two o'clock in the afternoon. At 
this meeting a majority of the signers hereto shall have full power. 

Franklin, X. H., October 26, 1910. 
Frank N. Parsons, Main St., Franklin, N. H. 
W. E. Chandler, Concord, N. H. 
Warren F. Daniell, Franklin, N. H. 
Edward G. Leach, Franklin, N. H. 
Omar A. Towne, Franklin, N. H. 
John W. Staples, Franklin, N. H. 
Augustine R. Ayers, Concord, N. H. 
Alvah W. Sulloway, Franklin, X. H. 



Frankhn, X. H., Records. Received and recorded October 
29, 1910. Corporation Book, pages 59 and 60. 

Attest : 

Frank H. Daniell, 

City Clerk. 

BY-LAWS OF WEBSTER BIRTHPLACE ASSOCIATION. 

Article I. 

Members. 

1. Any person approved by the Executive Committee may 
become a member of the association upon payment of ten dollars 
and continue such membership by the payment of such annual 
dues as may ])e voted. 

2. All persons contributing one hundred dollars or more each 
shall be continued as members without payment of annual dues. 

Article II. 

Meetings. 
The annual meeting of the corporation shall be held on the 
second Saturday in October in each year at such hour ami place 
as may be designated by the President. Special meetings may 
be called at any time by the President and shall be called by 
him upon the request in writing of seven members. Xotice of 
meetings and of the business to be transacted shall be given by 



74 

the Clerk by publication in the Journal-Transcript six days before 
the day of the meeting. At any regularly called meeting the 
members present shall constitute a quorum. 

Article III. 

Officers. 

1. The officers of the corporation shall be a President, three 
Vice-Presidents, Clerk, Treasurer and a Board of Trustees con- 
sisting of the officers named and nine trustees. The President, 
Clerk, and Treasurer shall be chosen each year at the annual 
meeting. Three Trustees shall be chosen annually at said meet- 
ing, who shall hold office for three years each. 

2. The Trustees shall fill by appointment any vacancy occur- 
ring in their number or any office of the corporation, such appointee 
to hold office until the next annual meeting. 

3. The Trustees shall be the Board of Management. They 
shall have all the powers of the corporation not required by law 
or these by-laws to be exercised by the members. The trustees 
may appoint an Executive Committee of five persons, who shall 
have all the powers of the trustees and shall hold their positions 
at the pleasure of the trustees. 

4. The Clerk shall be clerk both of the corporation and the 
Board of Trustees. 

Article IV. 

Amendment. 
These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting, notice 
of the proposed amendment liaving l)een given in the call of the 
meeting. 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
AN .\CT EXEMl'TIXG FROM TAXATION THK l^AMKI. WeBSTER 

niitTH Place. 

Be it enacted by the Senate ami House of Representatives in General 
Court convened: 
Section 1. That the Daniel Webster \nri\i place at Franklin, 
N. H., having been purchased by the Webster Birth Place Asso- 
ciation for tiie sole ]iurp()se of i)resorving the same in suitable 



75 

manner for the benefit of the people, and said association having 

provided that the same should revert to the city of Franklin 

whenever said association shall fail to properly care for the same, 

is hereby exempted from taxation together with any fund that 

may be raised for the perpetual care thereof by said association. 

William J. Brittox, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Enos K. Sawyer, 

President of the Senate. 
Approved March 14, 1913. 

Samuel D. Felker, 

Governor. 

STATE OF new HAMPSHIRE. 

Joint Resolution for Aid in the Restoration and Maintenance 

of the Birth Place of Daniel Webster. 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives in General 

Court convened: 
That the sum of fifteen hundred dollars be and the same is 
hereby appropriated for the purpose of aiding; in the restoration 
and maintenance of the ])irth place of Daniel Webster, said sum 
to be paid to the treasurer of the Webster Birth Place Association 
and expended under the direction of said association; and the 
governor is hereby authorized to draw his warrant for said sum 
out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. 
Approved May 21, 1913. 

OFFICERS OF THE WEBSTER BIRTH PLACE 

ASSOCIATION. 

President, William E. Chandler. 

Vice-Presidents, Chief Justice Frank N. Parsons, Clarence E. 
Carr and F. G. Webster. 

Treasurer, John W. Staples. 

Clerk, Omar A. Towne. 

Trustees, Alvah W. Sulloway, Jacob H. GaUinger, Edward G. 
Leach, John R. Eastman*, Augustine R. Ayers, Frank R. Wood- 
ward, Warren F. Daniell*, [Denison R. Slade has taken the place 
of Professor Eastman and Warren Fisher Daniell the place of his 
father], Frank Proctor and Charles S. Collins. 

* Deceased. 



76 

Local Committees. 

Boston — Charles K. Darling, chairman. Lewis A. Armisteadr 
secretary, Chief Justice John A. Aiken, Samuel L. Powers, Mel- 
vin O. Adams, James O. Lj^ord, Robert Lincoln O'Brien, Ralph 
S. Bartlett, Louis A. Coolidge. 

New York — Wilham D. Sawyer, chairman, George WilUam 
Burleigh, Philip Carpenter, Xewbold Leroy Edgar, George S. Ed- 
gell, Joseph H. Emery, Amos Tuck French, William B. Greeley, 
Luther B. Little, Edward H. Peaslee, Ruel W. Poor, Philip A. 
Rollins, Edwin W. Sanborn, Gilman H. Tucker, Charles X. Vilas. 

Fraxklix — Mayor William W. Edwards, chairman; Thomas F. 
Clifford, secretary; Edward G. Leach, Frank Proctor, Omar A. 
Towne, John W. Staples, Rev. Alva H. Morrill, Rev. Rufus P. 
Gardner, Hon. Enos K. Sawyer, president state senate, ex-Mayor 
Seth W. Jones, Frank R. Woodward, Warren F. Daniell, Jr.,. 
Richard W. SuUoway, Augustus B. Sawyer, Councilman Arthur 
]\L Hancock. 

LETTER OF APPRECIATIOX. 

Waterloo, N. H. 
August 30, 1913. 
Hox. W. W. Edwards : 

Mayor of Franklin and ("hairnian of the Local Webster Birth Place Cele- 
bration Committee: 

Mil Drar Mr. Moijor: It was a great relief and pleasure to me on my sick 
bed on Thursday afternoon to hear of the large attendance and gratifying 
success of our celebration; and it has added to my delight to hear from 
many commendations how much is due to the complete organization of your 
committee and to the lidclity and energy of every sub-thairinan and member 
thereof. 

Where all did so well I cannot discriminate. Through you I give the 
warmest thanks of the Webster Birth Place Association to yourself and to 
your committee for what they have done to make the restoration of the 
Webster birth jilace house of January 18, 1782, and the celebration of that 
event on August 2S, 1913, a credit to our Association, to the people of 
Franklin, Salisbury anrl the grand old towns round about, and to our friends 
and assistants from all directions. 

A delayed duty has been, at last, well performed. 

Very respectfully, 

Wm. E. CiiAxni.KK. 
President of the Wchstcr Birth Flmc Assneiation. 

Concord — P>ank S. Streeter, chairman; Harry J. Brown, 
secretary; Charles J. French, Samuel C. Eastman, James W. Rem- 
ick, Benjamin A. Kimball, William ^L Chase, Charles R. Corn- 
ing, George H. Mo.^es, Alvin B. Cross. Benjamin W. Couch, 
William J. Alieni. William F. Thayer. John 1). Briilge, Henry H. 



/ t 



IMetcalf, Allen Hollis, Edson J. Hill, William D. Chandler, 
Charles l\. Walker, Burns P. Hodgman, David E. Murphy, 
Joseph S. IMatthews, Edward C. \iles. 

Warner — Edward H. Carroll, chairman; Mason T. Ela, Fred 
H. Savory, Arthur H. Fish, Cfeorge W. Bence, Andrew J. Hook, 
Henry Runnels, Elmer Bartlett, C. M. Adams, Charles H. Hardy, 
Frederic S. Howell, Fred C. Brockway, Winfred J. Chase, Fred 
A. Clark, Robert F. Oliver, Charles H. Dow, Carl L. Cutting, 
John P. H. Chandler, Walter H. Craig, Edward Lee Carroll, 
George W. Rogers, Edward J. Trask, John J. Shurtleff, Seymour 
Colby, J. E. Sanborn, Herbert N. Lewis, secretary. 

Lancaster — Irving W. Drew, chairman; Chester B. Jordan, 
Moses A. Hastings, Fred C. Cleveland, W. H. Leith, Henry P. 
Kent, RoUin E. Webb, W. H. McCarten, George M. Stevens. 

TiLTON— Charles E. Tilton, William H. Moses, Otis Daniell, 
Arthur S. Brown, J. E. Smith, Arthur T. Cass, Harris A. Morse, 
Charles P. Herrick. 

Berlin — George F. Rich, Daniel J. Daley, Robert H. Cham- 
berlin, Herbert L Goss, Abraham M. Stahl, John B. Gilbert, 
Holman A. Drew. 

Lisbon — Augustus A. Woolson, Fred E. Thorpe, Miss ^Mary 
R. Cummings, Dr. Edgar 0. Grossman, Mrs. C. C. jNIoore, Miss 
Nettie L. Kelsea, B. S. Webb. 

Hillsborough — Hon. J. B. Smith, S. ^Y. Holman, K. D. 
Pierce, R. G. Smith, G. W. Haslet, W. H. Manahan, W. P. Bailey, 
Rev. R. W. Wallace, Rev. J. G. Leclerc, Rev. J. N. Seaver. 

Hanover— Prof. E. J. Bartlett, :Mr. P. R. Bugbee, Prof. J. F. 
Colby, Prof. C. F. Emerson. Prof. H. D. Foster, Dr. J. ^[. Gile, 
Prof. Craven Laycock. 

Whitefield — Frank P. Lewis, W. G. Hadley, D. C. Woodman, 
C. AL Grey, Dr. Anninna C. Rondinella, Dr. G. H. ]\Iorrison, 
L. 0. Shurtleff, Dr. J. W. Warden, C. C. King, F. W. Page, G. L. 
Crockett, M. J. Lyster, Dr. Gertrude A. Walker, Dr. R. E. 
Wilder, Dr. H. M. Wiggin. H. A. Graves, A. F. Stoughton, J. C. 
Trickey. 

Portsmouth — Hon. Alfred F. Howard, Col. E. Percy Stod- 
dard, Rear Admiral Joseph Foster, Hon. Charles A. Hazlett, 
Hon. Calvin Page, Hon. John Pender, Hon. True L. Xorris, 
Hon. Woodbury Langdon, Rev. Alfred Gooding, Dr. John H. 
Neal, Hon. Benjamin F. Webster. 



78 

Newport — William F. Richards, Jesse ^M. Barton, G. Harold 
Edgell, D. Sidney Eollins. 

Dublin and Vicinity — George B. Leighton, Dublin; John 

E. Allen, Keene; Wallace IVIason, Keene; Charles G, Shedd, 
Keene; E. H. Kidder, Dublin; John C. Gray, Dublin; George D. 
IMarcom, Dublin, Henry White, Dublin. 

Bristol — Fred A. Spencer, Dr. George H. Callcy, Richard 
W. ]\Iiisgrove, Henry C. Whipple, Frank X. Gilman, Fred H. 
Ackerman, Henry C. Field, "\A'illiam C. AVhite, George B. Cavis, 
Ira A. Chase. 

]Manchester — G. Waldo BrowTie, L. Ashton Thorpe, Charles 
J. Hadley, Fred W. Lamb, Harry T. Lord, Frank W. Sargeant, 
H. Fox Davis, William P. Coburn, John Dowst. 

Peterborough — Robert P. Bass, IMiss Mary ^Morrison, 
George E. Adams, Prof. William H. Scofield, ]Mrs. Jennie H. 
Field, A. W. Noone, Major James F. Brennan. 

Laconia — Woodbury L. JNIelcher, Samuel B. Smith, Charles 
W. Vaughan, Ed\dn P. Thompson, Stephen S. Jewett, Edmund 
Little, James S. Smith, Henry B. Quinby, "\A'illiam F. Knight, 
James H. Story, George D. ^layo, Oscar L. Young, Dennis 
O'Shea, William Wallace, Oscar A. Lougee, Frank H. Lougee, 
Lawrence Baldi, Henry B. Tilton, True E. Prescott, Henry B. 
Clow, Lewds S. Perley, Charles G. St. Clair, Bert S. Dearborn. 

Claremont — H. W. Parker, F. P. Maj^nard, George A. 
Tenney, George H. Stowell, J. D. Upham, F. H. Foster, E. A. 
Quimby, H. B. Glidden, W. H. H. Moody, H. O. King, A. W. 
Hawkes, H. G. Sherman, T. W. Fry, E. A. Noyes, L G. Colby. 

Salem — Wallace W. Cole, Fred C. Buxton, Dr. V. N. Sikorsky, 

F. D. Wilson, W. L. Duntley, Charles F. Kimball, F. P. AVood- 
bury. Dr. L. F. Soule, C. P. Bennett, Dr. E. A. Wade W. D. 
Pulver. 

New Hampshire State Senate Special Committee 

Charles B. Rogers, Pembroke; James B. Wallace, Canaan; 
Samuel H. Edes, NewTJort; John Scammon, Exeter; Frank J. 
Bcal, Plymouth. 



New Hampshire House of Representatives Special 

Committee 

Benjamin W. Couch, Concord; Thomas F. Clifford, Franklin; 
A. T. Burleigh, Franklin; Henry J. Van Vliet, Manchester; W. 
E. Beaman, Cornish; Charles J. O'Neil, Walpole; E. G. Eastman, 
Exeter; Albert De Merritt, Durham; Olin H. Chase, Newport; 
William J. Ahern, Concord. 



MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION. 

Life Members. 

Edgar Aldrich, Littleton. 

*Henry J\L Baker, Bow. 

Clarence E. Carr, Andover. 

"William E. Chandler, Concord. 

"\V. ^Murray Crane, Dalton, ]\Iass. 

*Warren F. Daniell, Franklin. 

Jacob H. Gallinger, Concord. 

Henry P. Kent, Lancaster, 

New Hampshire Daughters of the American Revolution. 

Frank Proctor, Frankhn. 

Nathaniel Stevens, North Andover, Mass. 

Frank S. Streeter, Concord. 

Alvah W. Sulloway, Frankhn. 

C. H. Tenney, New York City. 

Edward Tuck, Paris, France. 

F. G. Webster, Boston. 

Wilham Whitman, Boston. 

Levi Woodbury, Washington, D. C. 

Frank R. Woodward, Hill. 

Members and Contributors. 

Aiken, John A., Chief Justice, Boston. 
Anderson, Mrs, Lars, Boston. 
Ayers, Augustine R., Concord. 
Abbott, Olivia B., Concord. 
Aiken, Charles W., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Adams, Wilham H., Campton. 
Adams, IVIelvin 0., Boston. 
Armistead, Lewis A., Boston. 

Bass, Robert P., Peterborough. 
Branch, Oliver E., Manchester. 

* Deceased, 



80 

Browne, A. B., Washington, D. C. 
Blair, Henry W., Manchester. 
Blair, Henry P., Washington, D. C. 
Brown, Elisha K., Dover. 
Bingham, George H., Manchester. 
Barnard, F. E., Boston. 
Bartlett, Balph S., Boston. 
Burleigh, George Wm., New York City. 
Bridge, John D., Concord. 
Brooks^ James Carter, Chicago, 111. 
Brown, Albert O., ^Manchester. 
Bayley, Ed\nn A., Boston. 
Benton, Josiah H., Boston. 

Churchill. Winston, Cornish. 
Coolidge, Louis A., Boston, 
Carpenter, Philip, New York City. 
Chandler, William D., Concord. 
Curriden, Samuel W., Washington, D. C. 
Carr, A. P., Tell City, Ind. 
Cross, Mrs. Elizabeth M., Concord. 
Cain, Orville E., Newport. 
Cross, David, Manchester. 
Corning, Charles H., Concord. 
Collins, Charles S., Nashua. 
Chase, William ]\I., Concord. 
Chamberlin, Robert N., Berlin. 
Crafts, G. P.. Manchester. 
Currier, Frank D., Canaan. 
Carpenter, George A., Wolfeboro. 
Crowley, James B., Nashua. 
Colby, James F., Hanover. 
Carroll, Edward H., Warner. 

Dillaway, W. E. L., Boston. 

Do Ige, Frederick, Boston. 

Darlington, Joseph J., Washington, D. C. 

Dearborn. Josiah G., Manchester. 

Darling, Charles K., Boston. 

D;mi»'ll, Warren F., Franklin. 

Davis. D. Ned. Fraid<Mn. 

Duffy, W. F., Franklin. 

F.stabrook. I'rod W., Xashua. 
Etlwards, Artliur M., San Francisco. 
*Eastman, John R., Andover. 
Edgell. CJeorge S., Newport. 

* Deceased. 



81 

Edgell, G. Harold, Newport. 
Edson, John J., Washington, D. C. 
Eastman, Samuel C, Concord. 
Entwistle, Thomas, Portsmouth. 
Edgar, Newbold LeRoy, New York City. 
Emery, Joso]ili H., New York City. 
Edwards, William W., Franklin. 
Ellis and Ellis, Franklin. 

French, George B., Nashua. 
Foote, James L., Slatington, Pa. 
French, Amos Tuck, Tuxedo Park, N. Y. 

Gile, John AI., Hanover. 
Gile, jNIrs. John ]\I., Hanover. 
Greenleaf, Charles H., Franconia. 
Goldsborough, R. H., Washington, D. C. 
Glover, Charles C, Washington, D. C. 
Gallagher, Charles T., Boston. 
Greeley, William B., New York City. 
Gardner, Rufus P., Franklin. 
Graves, E. E., Penacook. 
Griffin, E. L., Frankhn. 

Harrison, Charles E., Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Howard, Alfred F., Portsmouth. 

Hoitt, Charles W., Nashua. 

Hamilton, George E., Washington, D. C. 

Holhs, Allen, Concord. 

Henderson, John B.. Jr., Washington, D. C. 

Hill, Edson J., Concord. 

Henry, John H., Lincoln. 

Hale, Edwan P., Boston. 

*Harrison, ISIrs. Phebe B., Everett, Mass. 

Hancock, A. M., Franklin. 

Hancock, G. L., Franklin. 

Jewett, Stephen S., Laconia. 

Kelley, John W., Portsmouth. 

King, Clarence P., Washington, D. C. 

Kellogg, William P., Washington, D. C. 

Kimball, Benjamin A., Concord. 

Keith, W. E., San Jose, Cal. 

Killeen, Airs. Jessie Gove, Concord. 

Kennedy, Crammond, Washington, D. C. 

♦Deceased. 
6 



82 

Leach, Edward G., Franklin. 
Little, Cyrus H., Manchester. 
Larner, John B., Washington, D. C. 
Lisner, A., Washington, D. C. 
Leiter, Joseph, Washington, D. C. 
Leddy, John, Epping. 
Livermore, Arthur L., New York City. 
Lyford, James 0., Concord. 
Little, Luther B., New York City. 

Morton, Levi P., New York City. 
Melcher, Woodbury L., Laconia. 
McLean, John 11., Washington, D. C. 
Macfarland, Henry B. F., Washington, D. C. 
Moses, Arthur C, Washington, D, C. 
Maynard, F. P., Claremont. 
Matthews, Joseph F., Concord. 
Morrill, Luther K., Tilton. 
McVeagh, Franklin, Dublin. 
Moses, George H., Concord. 
Marvin, Winthrop L., Boston. 

Neale, S. C, Washington, D. C. 

O'Brien, Robert Lincoln, Boston. 
Oyster, James F., Washington, D. C. 

Parsons, Frank N., Franklin. 

Peaslee, Robert J., Manchester, 

Parker, ]Myron M., Washington, D. C. 

Parker, Hosea W., Claremont. 

Powers, Samuel L., Boston. 

Peaslee, EdM'ard H., New York City. 

Poor, Ruel W., New York City. 

Perry, R. Ross, Washington. D. C. 

Pingree, Sanmel E., White River Junction, Vt. 

Richards, A\illiam F., Newport. 
Rudolph, Cuno IL, Washington, D. C. 
Remick, James W., Concord. 
Rollins, E. H., Sons, Boston. 
Rogers, George S., Lebanon. 
Rollins, Philip A., New York City. 
Rossiter, William S., Concord. 
Robie, Samuel H., Chelsea, Mass. 

Smith, John B., Hillsborough. 
Staples, John ^^'., Franklin. 



83 



Shepard, Marion T., Canton, Mass. 

Stevens, Henry W., Concord. 

Shurtleff, A. J., Concord. 

Stellwagen, Edward J., Washington, D. C. 

Snow, Leslie P., Rochester. 

SulloAvay, Frank J., Concord. 

Spencer, F. A., Bristol. 

Stahl, A. M., Berlin. 

Stevens, George M., Lancaster. 

Sargeant, F. W., Manchester. 

Sullivan, II. G., Manchester. 

Smith, Thomas W., Washington, D. C. 

Smith, Converse J., Oakland, Cal. 

Sawj'er, William D., New York City. 

Sanborn, Edwin AV., New York City. 

Sulloway, Richard W., Franklin. 

Slade, Denison R., Center Harbor. 

Towne, Omar A., Franklin. 
Thorne, John C, Concord. 
Taylor, E. W. B., Haverhill, Mass. 
Treat, Frederick H., Wayne, Pa. 
Tuttle, James P., Manchester. 
Tenney, George A., Claremont. 
Thayer, William F., Concord. 
Thayer, AVilliam W., Concord. 
Tucker, Oilman H., New York City. 
Taylor, Charles H., Woburn, Mass. 

Upham, J. Duncan, Claremont. 

Vilas, Charles N., New York City. 

Woodworth, !Mrs. ^Lary, Concord. 
Weeks, John W., Newton, Mass. 
Wallace, J. B., Concord. 
Worthington, A. S., Washington, D. C. 
Woodward, S. W., Washington, D. C. 
Walker, Reuben E., Concord. 
Wallace, Sumner, Rochester. 
Webster, C. P., Franklin. 
Worcester, Franklin, HoUis. 
Worthen, T. W. D., Hanover. 

Young, John E., Exeter. 



8-1 



LETTERS TO SENATOR GALLINGER FRO^I 
VARIOUS IMEIMBERS. 

James F. Oyster, Washington, D. C: 

"I hope some day to be able to tour New Hampshire, and it 
would give me great pleasure to hunt up the old-fashioned resi- 
dence of the great Daniel Webster. I thank you for the oppor- 
tunity of participating in this great work." 

S. W. Woodward, Washington, D. C: 

"I am glad to be associated "^nth the movement." 

Levi Woodbury, Washington, D. C: 

"I am heartily in favor of the movement of the Webster 
Birth Place Association." 

Henry P. Blair, Washington, D. C: 

"An opportunity to participate in something worth while, 
in which I am glad to have a part. My father is also interested." 

Henry B. F. Macfarland, Washington, D. C: 

" I take a deep interest in everything that relates to the great- 
est American lawyer who never sat on the bench." 

A. B. Browne, Washington, D. C: 

"Since my school-boy days I have been a great admirer of 
Daniel Webster. I have a portrait of him which hangs on my 
library wall in company ^^dth Alexander Hamilton, Chief Justice 
Marshall and Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw. My deep regret is 
that we do not have a modern Webster." 

John B. Larner, Washington, D. C: 

"I believe that it will be a great thing to preserve suitably 
Daniel Webster's birth place at Salisbury, N. H." 

J. J. Darlington, Washington, D. C: 

"I have long been an admirer of Mr. Webster, and his por- 
trait has for many years hung upon the walls of mj' office." 

S. C. Neale, Hot Springs, Va.: 

"It is a most commendable imdcrtaking to thus preserve the 
birth ]ilace of one of the greatest men our country has produced. 



85 

We are too apt to forget in these days those who, by their wisdom 
and abihty, have made to a large extent the history of the United 
States." 

"William H. Adams, Campton, N. H.: 

"I feel proud to become a member of the 'AVebster Birth Place 
Association' of New Hampshire. I am much interested in the 
Websters, as I am myself a remnant from the Thomas Webster 
family, by the marriage of Sarah Webster to Thomas Bartlett 
whose daughter, Sarah Bartlett, married Col. Winborn Adams." 

CuNO H. Rudolph, Washington, D. C: 

"I consider it quite a privilege to aid in the good work of the 
Webster Birth Place Association." 



NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS OF THE CELEBRA- 
TION AND NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. 

DANIEL WEBSTER BIRTH PLACE CELE- 
BRATION ON AUGUST 28, 1913, AT 
FRANKLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE. . 

Notice is hereby given of the above celebration of the restora- 
tion of the house in which Mr. Webster was born on January 18, 
1782, in SaHsbury, now a part of Frankhn, about two and one- 
half miles west from that cit}'. The work of restoration has been 
done in the name of the Webster Birth Place Association, and a 
visit to the farm of about 130 acres, the small birth place house 
and the later and larger old-fashioned residence close by, -^-ill 
fully repaj'' the journey by railroad and highway, and especially 
by automobiles. 

The Northern Railroad from Franklin to Grafton was opened 
on the 28th of August, 1847, and ]\Ir. Webster attended and 
made an address at Grafton; and the exercises on August 28, 
1913, to recall the career and patriotic services of Mr. Webster 
will, it is believed, be worthy of the occasion. A program \nll 
be published shortlj'. 

Remarks vnW be i^ade bj' officers of the Association. Governor 
Samuel D. Felker vnll speak for the State and Honoral^le Samuel 
W. McCall for jMassachusetts. Representation has been re- 
quested from Dartmouth College, tlie Em]iire State and some 
Southern State, and President Wilson has been asked to come 
over from his cottage at Cornish. 

The officers of the Association now request immediate prepara- 
tion for a full attendance by local organizations not only in New 
Ham]:)shire and Massachusetts but everywhere north and south 
where the citizens of the present generation appreciate and admire 
the great qualities of Daniel Webster. 

Concord, N. H., July 21, 1013. 



86 



87 



IN MEMORY OF WEBSTER. 

Successful Celebration Held by the Webster Birth 

Place Association. 

[From the Fraxiklin Journal-Transcript of September 4, 1913.] 

The memory of Daniel Webster was appropriate!}' honored 
Thursday, August 28, 1913, when a large number of citizens of 
New Hampshire and prominent visitors from other states at- 
tended the patriotic exercises held in Franjilin to celebrate the 
completion of the restored birth place of Webster. The exer- 
cises were held on the hill near the old Webster farm and the 
program included a number of historical and patriotic speeches 
by distinguished orators from this and other states, honoring 
the memory of Webster and expressing satisfaction that the 
great statesman's birth place was to be suitably preserved. 

Not for years, if ever before, has Franklin entertained so large 
a crowd. Ideal weather conditions prevailed. The day was 
perfect. Hardly a cloud appeared in the sky and a gentle breeze 
prevailed on the hill, where the exercises of the day took place. 

Early Thursday forenoon Franklin began to take on a holiday 
appearance. At 12 o'clock the stores and business places closed 
for the day. Many blocks and private dwellings exhibited 
stars and stripes. 

The first event of the day was a free band concert on the High 
School grounds at 10 a. m., by Nevers' Second Regiment Band 
of Concord. 

Transportation between Franklin and the birth place began 
€arly in the forenoon and ever\' method of conveyance was used. 
A number of automobiles were pressed into service and were 
used for conveying the general public. Many went bj^ team 
^nd others on bicycles. A number walked the entire distance. 
The only disagreeable feature of the entire day was the trip to 
and from the birth place. As a result of continued dry weather 
and the large amount of traffic the dust was very thick. 

The exercises at the birth place commenced at 1 o'clock with 
a concert by the band. This was followed by speaking by some 
■of New England's prominent men. 

A large tent was erected on the brow of the hill. Under the 



88 

tent were placed more than 500 chairs. The sides of the tent 
had been removed and hundreds of people stood surrounding 
those who were seated. The speakers' stand was at one end of 
the big tent. The stand was covered and was attractively and 
appropriately decorated with red, white and blue bunting and 
flags. Two flags floated in the breeze from two new flag poles 
near the tent. Upon the stage was a large picture of Webster. 
The speakers stood behind Webster's dining room table which 
was taken from the Elms Farm, now the New Hampshire Orphans' 
Home, for the occasion. On the stage, also, was the Webster 
pew, which many years ago was in the Village Congregational 
Church in Franklin. Many of the chairs upon the platform 
were old fashioned and dated from Webster's time. 

Chief Justice Frank N. Parsons of Franklin, first vice-president 
of the Association, presided over the exercises, in the absence of 
Hon. William E. Chandler, the president of the Association, 
who was detained at his summer home in Waterloo by illness. 
General expressions of regret were heard upon all sides in regard 
to Mr. Chandler's enforced absence. It was largely due to his 
interest and efforts that the work of restoring the ])irth place was 
carried out. The Webster celebration was also planned by him. 

The opening invocation was given by Rev. Rufus P. Gardner of 
Franklin, superintendent of the New Hampshire Orphans' Home. 

Remarks were then made by Chief Justice Parsons. 

On motion of Hon. Clarence E. Carr of Andover, second vice- 
president of the Association, a rising vote was taken expressing 
regret at the absence of ]\Ir. Cliandler and tiie hope that he 
would soon be returned to his former good health. 

Mr. Chandler's introductory remarks written l)y liiiu fur the 
occasion were read bj' Hon. George H. Moses of Concord, late 
United States minister to Greece. 

An original i)oem by Edna Dean Proctor of Henniker was 
read by Hon. Henry H. Metcalf of Concord, state historian. 

The opening address was given by Governor Samuel D. Felker 
of New Hampshire. He was followed by President Ernest Fox 
Nichols of Dartmouth college. 

The orator of the day was Hon. Samuel W. ^NlcCall of Massa- 
chusetts, ex-member of Congress, who in answering felicitous 
introduction of the presiding oflnccr oxplninod that the New Hamp- 



80 

shire chief justice and he used to room together when they were 
members of the class of 1874 at Dartmouth College. 

Senator Jacob H. Gallinger of Concord was unable to be pres- 
ent, being detained in Washington, and his address was read by 
Hon. James 0. Lyford of Concord, naval officer of the Port of 
Boston. 

Letters of regret w^ere read from Senator Henry F. Hollis of 
XeAv Hampshire, Congressmen Eugene E. Reed and Raymond 
B. Stevens of New Hampshire and Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia. 
A telegram of regret was also read from Hon. William D. Sawyer, 
chairman of the New York City committee. 

Ex-Governor Pingree, the next speaker, is a native of Salis- 
bury and at the time of the celebration was 81 years old. During 
his very interesting address he referred to once seeing Webster. 
yir. Pingree, then a boy, was driving with his father from Salis- 
bury to the Webster Place, Franklin. On their trip they met 
a gentleman and his coachman. After the two teams had passed 
Mr. Pingree's father told him that the distinguished looking man 
they had just met was Daniel Webster. Mr. Pingree turned 
around and got a good back view of Webster. He explained that 
the reason that he had not noticed Webster when they met was 
the fact that the coachman M'as the first darkey he had ever seen 
and boy-like his attention was glued to the colored coachman. 

Mr. Pingree was follow^ed by Judge David Cross of Manchester, 
New Hampshire's grand old man. Judge Cross, 96 years old, 
made one of the hits of the day. He was easily heard by all and 
spoke Avith Avonderful force. He referred to having seen and 
heard Webster on several occasions and gave a very interesting 
word picture of the great statesman. In closing he made a 
strong plea for the New England family, saying that the Webster 
family was typical of New England. Judge Cross Avas followed 
by ex-Governor Nahum J. Bachelder of New Hampshire; ex- 
Governor Bachelder Avas folloAved by Rev. Dr. Arthur Little of 
Dorchester, Mass., a native and summer resident of Webster. 

Vice-President Clarence E. Carr of the Birth Place Association 
gave the closing address. Benediction was pronounced by Rev. 
H. C. McDougall. and was preceded by the audience joining in 
singing the first and last verses of America, the singers being led 
by the band. 

It is seldom that a speaking program of such length sustain* 



90 

itself at so high a level of excellence. The presiding officer, al- 
though summoned hastilj^ to take the chair, was most happ\' 
both in his opening address and in the brief characterizations with 
which he presented the several speakers. The speakers in turn 
took up the salient features in the great career which made the 
celebration possible. 

The large and representative audience fully met the fondest 
•expectations of the managers of the celebration. It is conserva- 
tively estimated that there were between 3,500 and 4,000 people 
present. 

The arrangements were carried out in a very dignified manner. 
There were no vendors on the grounds. Light refreshments 
were sold by Messrs. Joyce and Young, the caretakers of the 
property, who had the exclusive privilege. The}' also sold post 
card views of the birth place. 

George G. Williams of Littleton conducted a sale of photo- 
graphs of Daniel Webster. 

Great interest was taken in the Pathe moving picture company's 
representative, Frank Morris, who came on from St. Louis to 
take views of the celebration. The Governor, President Xichols 
of Dartmouth College, ex-Congressman ]\lcCall, ex-Governor 
Bachelder, Gen. Frank S. Streeter and other distinguished guests 
posed for the "movies." 

Those present in Governor Felker's party were members of 
his council, William H. Sawyer of Concord, Lewis G. Gilman 
of Manchester, Albert W. Noone of Peterboro. Daniel W. 
Badger of Portsmouth and George W. McGregor of Littleton 
and their ladies, and Major Charles E. Tilton of the Governor's 
staff and Mrs. Tilton of Tilton. 

Just outside the door of the restored birth place was placed a 
register for the names of visitors. Owing to the crush of guests 
many did not tarry to write their names, but during the day nearly 
1,500 registered. An illustration of the wide interest that was 
taken in the birth place is the fact that on the four days following 
the celebration 400 more visitors, who called to view the premises, 
registered in the new i^ook. 

The parking arrangement for automobiles and teams was 
admirably carried out under the direction of D. Xed Davis and 
W. F. Daniell. Jr., of the transportation committee. The 



91 

400 automobiles were parked in the large field in front of the house. 
Teams were also arranged so that there was no delay in leaving 
the grounds after the exercises were over. 

Hardly an accident happened during the entire day to mar the 
arrangements. There was a collision between Clarence Shaw's 
automobile and a car from the Prescott garage, slightly damaging a 
fender and lamp on ^Ir. Shaw's car. No one was injured. 

When Daniel Webster was born on January 18, 1782, the humble 
home in which he first saw the light of day was in Salisbury, 
now a part of Franklin, as when Franklin became a town by taking 
parts of Salisbury, Northfield, Andover and Sanbornton in 1828, 
that part of Salisbury upon which the birth place was located was 
included in the portion of the tovni that became Franklin. Tra- 
dition says that when Daniel Webster was born the clearing 
around his father's home was the furthest north in New Hamp- 
shire. There was only a bridle path to the place and the house 
was located so as to face the old saw mill at the dam at Punch 
brook. This accounts for the back side of the house facing the 
present highway. When Daniel was three years old his father. 
Captain Ezekiel Webster, moved to the Elms Farm at Webster 
Place, now the New Hampshire Orphans' Home. 

After Webster's father had moved to the Elms the old house in 
which Daniel was born Avas moved across the road and attached 
to the big two-story farm building as an ell. The cellar of the 
birth place was filled in and its location forgotten. 

On October 26, 1910, in the office of Chief Justice Parsons, at 
Franklin, N. H., the Webster Birth Place Association was formed 
and the birth place property was later purchased. The old house 
was restored to its original appearance and moved back to its 
original foundation. The old fireplace with its big iron crane 
was rebuilt in the kitchen or living room and the house now looks 
as nearly as possible as it did when Webster was born. The fire- 
place is built of bricks excavated from the cellar. 

It was viewed with great interest by the thousands of visitors 
a,t the celebration. The house had been equipped with many 
interesting souvenirs and relics of Webster's time. There was 
a continual stream of visitors passing through the restored 
birth place all day. 

In the big farm house across the yard one room was under the 
charge of members of Abigail Webster Chapter, D. A. R.. of 



92 

Franklin. Here were shown many Webster relics, a glass show 
case being filled with souvenirs of the great statesman. 

A number of the visitors arrived in Franklin in the forenoon 
and took dinner at The Odell, Landlord Yittum furnishing a 
special dinner for the occasion. More than 125 were present at 
dinner and over 200 registered during the day. A souvenir menu 
was furnished. Among those who registered at The Odell were 
Governor Felker and party, Earl Annis and wife, IMrs. R. Annis, 
M. Barnes and Edwin C. Kirk, and wife of ^lanchester, A. R. 
Kittredge of Dover, Judge Cross of ^Manchester, Allen E. Cross 
of Brookline, Mass., Henry S. Roberts of Wolfeboro, Henry P. 
Kent and R. E. Webb of Lancaster, Mrs. S. M. Richards, Mr. 
and Mrs. F. H. Kidder, Miss Katherine Kidder, Miss Edith Rich- 
ards, William F. Richards of Newport, Rev. Dr. A. A. Berle of 
Cambridge, J. H. Whittemore of Boston, Francis Bingham White 
of Wellesle}', William J. Ahcrn of Concord, State Treasurer George 
E. Farrand of Concord, William J. Starr of Manchester, J. B. 
Tennant of Concord, Attorney General James P. Tuttle of Man- 
chester, George P. Hadley of Goffstown, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin 
J. Bagley of Lexington, Levi Woodbur}^ and sister of Washing- 
ton, D, C, Harry T. Knight of Boston, H. A. Elliott and wife and 
son, R. A. Elliott and wife of Des ]\Ioines, Iowa. Lois Perkins of 
Norwich, Alfred J. McClure. Jr., of Concord, Mr. and Mrs, 
G. M. Wason of Haverhill, Mass., Airs. H. R. Frost of Boston, 
Miss F. I. Rogers of Derry, E. Percy Stoddard of Portsmouth, 
Col. Daniel Hall, Mrs. Hall, Mr. andAIrs. H. W. Owen of Dover, 
Gen. J. N. Patterson of Concord, Fred Jones of Lebanon, William 
Beaman of Cornish, Frank Cabot of Windsor, Vt., Walter Saxey 
of Windsor, "N't., W. E. Kinney of Claremont, William H. Draper 
and wife, H. K. Draper and wife, H. K. Draper, Jr., of Canton, 
Mass., M. J. Wentworth of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Lepham, 
j\Iiss PhilHs Lepham of Providence, Cornelia W. Proctor of Bos- 
ton, Edward M. Cogswell of Concord, Warren Staples of Burling- 
ton, ^'t.. Air. and Mrs. G. W. Baker of Brooklyn, Prof. James F. 
Colby, Prof. Chas. N. Emerson and Perley R. Ihigbee of Hanover, 
William H. Alitchell of AcAvorth, George H. Richter of Boston, 
E. F. Baker of Suncook, John C. Thome of Concord, E. L. Davis 
and Air. and Airs. AI. T. Ela of Warner. 

Other well known New Hampshire men at the celebration were 
Gen. Frank S. Streeter of Concord, ex-Senator Henry W. Blair 



93 

of Manchester, Judge Edgar Aldrich of Littleton, Hon. Benjamin 
A. Kimball of Concord, Frank P. Carpenter of Manchester, 
Charles W. Varney of Rochester, Harry J. Brown, Esq., of Con- 
cord, Postmaster Julian F. Trask of Laconia. 

Among the out-of-to^^•n newspaper men present were Editor 
S. H. Robic of the Chelsea, Mass., Evening Record, Owen Flanders 
of the Boston Post, H. C. Pearson of the Concord Monitor, Edward 
J. Gallagher of the Concord Patriot and Editor Olin H. Chase of 
the Newport Republican Champion. 

The officers of the Daniel Webster Birth Place Association are 
President, William E. Chandler. 

Vice-Presidents, Chief Justice Frank N. Parsons, Clarence E. 
Carr, F. G. Webster. 

Treasurer, John W. Staples. 

Clerk, Omar A. Towne. 

Trustees, Alvah W. Sulloway, Jacob H. Gallinger, Edward G. 
Leach, John R. Eastman,* Augustine R. Ayers, F. R. Woodward, 
Warren F. Daniell,* Frank Proctor and Charles S. Collins. 

Franklin Local Committee — Mayor William W. Edwards, 
chairman, Thomas F. Clifford, secretary; Edward G. Leach, 
Frank Proctor, Omar A. To^ne, John W. Staples, Rev. Alva H. 
Morrill, Rev. Rufus P. Gardner, Hon. Enos K. Sawyer, ex-Mayor 
Seth W. Jones, Frank R. Woodward, Warren F. Daniell, Jr., 
Richard W. Sulloway, Augustus B. SaA^yer, Councilman Arthur 
M. Hancock. 

The guides included Miss Addie E. Towne, Miss J. Estelle 
Clifford, Miss Florence Kelley, Miss Louise Kelley, Miss Gladys 
Webster, Miss Maude Judkins, Fred Durham, Louis Judkins, 
Carl H. Prescott, Donald Gilchrist, James McDougall and John 
Holmes. 

The messenger boys were Donald Walton, John Shirlej', John 
Partelo and Robert Daniell. 

The Daily Patriot. 

The Patriot of August 28 gave an account of the celebration 
and pubhshed portions of the speeches; adding: 

Among those from Concord who attended were Rev. and Mrs. 
O. C. Sargent, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morton, Joseph S. ]\Iat- 

♦Deceaspd. 



94 

thews and family, General Frank S. Streeter, ^Ir. and Mrs. B. A. 
Kimball, ISlr. and IMrs. Henry A. Kimball, Mr. and Mrs. George 
H. Moses, William J. Starr, W. D. Chandler and family, H. C. 
Pearson, J. Irving Holt, E. J. Gallagher, "William J. Ahern, 
Howard Kimball, Major Arthur Chase, Wilham H. Head, Mr. 
and Mrs. Alvin B. Cross, Frank J. Sulloway, Dr. Ehzabeth 
Hoyt-Stevens, Harry J. Brown, George E. Farrand, Attorney- 
General Tiittle, H. H. Metealf and James 0. Ljrford. 

The Manchester Union. 

Feanklin, Aug. 28. — A grand celebration today marked the 
completion of the task undertaken several months ago bj'' the 
Webster Birth Place Association to restore to its original likeness 
the house in which Daniel Webster was born. It is conceded that 
few, if any, movements of the kind were ever more successfully 
carried out than the achievement of this Association under the 
guiding hand of ex-Senator William E. Chandler, president of 
the organization, and his able coterie of officers. 

Building is Reconstructed. 

The birth-place building had been somewhat dismembered 
and its original location nearly lost. The Association located 
the building site, and having a large portion of the house, placed 
it on the old foundation walls, reconstructed enough new struc- 
ture from old building material to restore the house to its original 
size. The material for the fireplace and chimney was also at 
hand to use in the reconstruction. 

A Large Attendance. 

Hundreds of the citizens of this state, and big delegations 
from other states, gathered for the celebration; Governor Felker 
and his council and staff. President Ernest Fox Nichols and a 
delegation from the Dartmouth College facultj^, and many 
celebrities from cities and towns of this state and Massachusetts 
were on hand and several orators of renown contributed brilliant 
speeches. 

Speeches by Prominent Men. 

Ex-Congressman Samuel W\ ]\IcCall of Massachusetts was the 
leading speaker of the afternoon. Governor Felker contributed 



95 

a fine oration. President Nichols, ex-Governor Pingree of 
Vermont, ex-Governor N. J. Bachelder of this state, Hon. 
Clarence E. Carr, vice-president of the Association, Rev. Dr. 
Arthur Little of Boston, and Hon. David Cross of Manchester, 
also contributed eloquent speeches. Judge Cross of Manchester, 
whose speech was not on the program and was of an impromptu 
nature, was one of the best-received of the afternoon. 

Chief Justice Frank N. Parsons of this city presided in the 
absence of ex-Senator Chandler, kept away by illness. 

A poem written for the occasion by Edna Dean Proctor was 
read by Hon. H. H. Metcalf. 

The Boston Globe. 

Franklin, X. H., Aug. 28. — The celebration today at the birth 
place of Daniel "Webster proved one of the greatest events in the 
history of Franklin. Fully 5,000 gathered at the restored birth 
place to hsten to the exercises. 

Some of New England's most noted men were on the list of 
speakers, including Samuel D. Felker, President Ernest Fox 
Nichols of Dartmouth College, ex-Congressman Samuel W. 
McCall of Massachusetts, ex-Governor Samuel E. Pingree of 
Vermont and ex-Governor Nahum J. Bachelder of New Hamp- 
shire. The orator of the day was ex-Congressman McCall. 

The exercises opened at 10 o'clock with a band concert on the 
Franklin High School grounds. People had been gathering at 
the birth place, 3| miles from this city, all of the forenoon. At 1 
o'clock the band gave a concert at the birth place, a stand having 
been erected on the top of a hill back of the AVebster barn, and at 2 
o'clock the exercises proper began. 

A large tent had been pitched on the hill and this was packed, 
while hundreds stood outside. The speakers' stage contained 
Webster's dining-room table, and by this the addresses were 
delivered. Also on the platform was the Webster pew, taken 
many j^ears ago from the Congregational Church in this city. 

Then follows an account of the speeches. 

The Boston Journal. 

Franklin, N. H., Aug. 28. — Several thousand people gathered 
at the birth place of Daniel Webster today to pay honor to his 



96 

■memory and to observe the formal opening of the restored Web- 
ster farmhouse. Commemorative exercises were begun today 
with addresses by former Congressman Samuel W. McCall of 
Massachusetts, Governor Samuel D. Felker of New Hampshire 
and others. 

The Webster estate, which covers about one hundred and thirty 
acres, is situated about two miles west of Franklin. At the time 
of Webster's birth, Januarj^ 18, 1782, the house stood in what was 
then the town of Sahsbury. In 1828 Salisbury became a part 
of Franklin. 

Then follows an account of the proceedings. 

The Boston Herald. 

Franklix, N. H., Aug. 28. — Commemorative exercises at the 
birth place of Daniel Webster, together with the formal opening of 
the restored Webster farm, were begun today and will be con- 
cluded tomorrow. 

Several thousand people from neighboring cities and towns 
in central New Hampshire attended the exercises. 

The introductorv remarks, which were to have been made bv 
former United States Senator William E. Chandler, were read 
in his absence by George H. Moses of Concord, while James 0. 
Lyford performed a similar service for United States Senator 
Jacob H. Gallinger. 

The princiiial .'speakers today were Chief Justice Frank X. 
Parsons, first vice-president of the Webster Association: Clarence 
E. Carr, second vice-president, who read many letters, and Gov- 
ernor Samuel D. Felker. Remarks were also made by President 
Ernest F. Nichols of Dartmouth College and the principal oration 
was delivered by former Congressman Samuel W. McCall of Mass- 
achusetts. 

Congressman McCall said, in part: 

Then follows Mr. McCall's speech. 

The Boston Herald. 

Our Greatest Senator. 

Ill I'rankliu. X. H., today, admirers of Daniel Webster will set 
apart, with a])proi)riate ceremonies, his birth place as a perma- 
ment memorial. Sanuiel AV. McCall. wliose capacity as a public 



97 

speaker is equaled by few present-daj' statesmen, will deliver 
the oration. Others of national reputation will contribute to 
the success of the occasion. 

AVith the flight of time and the changing perspective in which 
the world holds its great historical characters, Webster still re- 
tains several titles to preeminence that seem secure. He re- 
mains our greatest senator. Nobody attempts to pay tribute 
to the upper branch of our national congress as an institution 
without calling it "the Senate of Webster, Clay, Calhoun," etc. 
The lists of names aj^pended in such a phrase as this vary \\ith 
the times, the locality and the point of view, but every list begins 
with Webster. He thus sj-mbolizes the Senate, at a great period, 
and one Ukely to be long considered its greatest period. Steel 
engravings of the Senate, seen on the walls of public edifices and 
in private homes, almost invariably picture that body wnth Web- 
ster in action. And yet he was not a long-time senator. He 
served less than twenty years in all. He held other offices, twdce 
that of secretary of state, in rather acute crises of our politics 
and history. But few people think of him as our minister of 
foreign affairs. It is as a great senator that he stands out. 

This is because it was in the Senate that Webster found the 
forum for the exposition of the point of view with which his name 
will be forever associated. He gave the American people a sense 
of national unity. To that idea they did not come naturally. 
An emphasis of the rights of states grew logically out of the indi- 
vidual assertiveness of the revolutionary period. At the open- 
ing of the last century we were all. North and South, as occasions 
invited, more or less reliant on state sovereignty. And we usu- 
ally referred to our structure of government as a confederacy. 

At about the right time Webster came along, and wdth an 
imagination which pictured the national aspiration, drilled that 
into the American people in a series of orations, the stately elo- 
quence of which has rarely been equaled and never excelled. The 
Washington monument was in building in the great days of 
Webster. Its memorial blocks, contributed by various states, mu- 
nicipalities and civic bodies, still bear silent testimony to the 
extraordinary power of the Massachusetts senator over the thought 
of his time. To the national idea he asked not only the states 
to subordinate their individual interests, but to it he subordi- 

7 



98 

nated his own native intuitions in regard to human slavery. On 
the altar of the Union he thus placed a great sacrifice. 

Dying in 1852, Webster was not permitted to see the land 
rent in that fratricidal strife which he, better than any other 
man of his time, had foreseen. But w^hen that struggle came^ 
the national spirit which his elocjuence had aroused beat in the 
hearts of the armies of the Union. Even the great Whig states 
of the South, because loyal to his teachings, entered into the 
confederacy reluctantly or not at all. And everywhere that the 
appeal to the Union arrested the wandering steps of men it was 
because of that national sentiment which Webster, more than 
anybody else, had through the years been building up. Verily 
he was the "Defender of the Constitution." 

The Boston Advertiser. 

Franklin, N. H., Aug. 28. — Commemorative exercises at the 
birth place of Daniel Webster together with the formal opening 
of the restored Webster farm took place today. 

Several thousand people from neighboring cities and to\\-ns 
in central New Hampshire composed the main portion of the 
gathering, while the formal exercises included addresses by a 
number of well-known speakers. 

Then follows an account of the proceedings and Congressman 
McCall's speech under the head "^NlcCall Depicts Webster's 
Greatness." 

The Boston Evening Transcript. 

Franklin, X. H., Aug. 28. — Commemorative exercises at the 
birth place of Daniel Webster, together with the formal opening 
of the restored Webster farm, took place today. Several thous- 
and people from neighlioring cities and towns in central New 
Hampshire composed the main portion of the gathering, while 
the formal exercises included addresses by a number of well- 
known si)eakers. 

We publish the whole of the principal address, that of Con- 
gressman Samuel W. McCall. 

The ]iious labors which were consummated today in the dedi- 
cation of the rescued and restored house in which Daniel Webster 
was born at Franklin, N. H., should receive the reward of national 
appreciation, for if Webster was a son of New Hampshire he was 



99 

the guardian of that conception of American nationahty which 
we all today accept. . . . 

The house which is dedicated at Franklin today can have been 
in its best estate but a tj^iical dwelling of a New England yeoman 
of the last quarter of the eighteenth century. It must derive its 
imprcssiveness entirely from associations, scanty as it is in 
dimensions and bare of architectural attractions. Yet it well 
may be among the shrines of American ])ilgrimages, for it is the 
birthplace of him who did more to shape and fix the political 
faith of America than any other man between Washington and 
Lincoln. 

The Providence Journal. 

"Massachusetts, there she stands!" But the great senator 
who said this, was born in New Hampshire; and that state does 
well to claim a part of his fame by setting apart and dedicating 
his birth place as a permanent memorial. It will be a national 
shrine, for Daniel Webster belongs to the whole Nation. 

The Franklin Journal-Transcript. 

The Webster celebration is not a state or city affair. It is 
something of national importance. Men from all sections of 
the country have contributed money. The celebration is the 
conception of Hon. William E. Chandler. Through his large 
national acquaintance it has been possible to accomplish what a 
man of more limited influence could not possibly have done. 
The consummation of the movement is something which will be 
very gratifying to all admirers of noted men. 

The Newport Champion. 

The celeljration being held at the birth place of Daniel Webster, 
in Franklin, formerly Salisbury, today has not only a sentimental 
significance but a moral which is capable of practical application 
as well. Testimonials to the memory of the dead are practically 
useful only as they serve as lectures to the living. The possi- 
bihties of the life of Webster as a subject for moralizing are almost 
beyond calculation. But perhaps the most obvious and beneficial 
lesson taught by his extraordinary life is the degree of existence 
of possibilities in the surroundings of every American boy who is 



100 

mentally and i:)hy.sically sound. Born in an obscure locality and 
reared in circumstances which to the average boj' of today would 
be classified as in the pale of poverty, with almost no opportunity 
for 3'outhful education, and forced to seek emplojmient at an 
early age, he rose, by dihgent effort and persistent apphcation, 
to the position which makes his memory on the present day a 
subject for reflection. 

The exercises at the Daniel Webster birth place celebration 
at Franklin last week were befitting the occasion, and the occasion 
demanded something out of the ordinary. The memory of Daniel 
Webster is one of the precious heritages of New Hampshire, and 
to keep it alive is one of the duties of the generations to come. 

The Nashua Telegraph. 

The services commemorating the restoration of Webster's 
birth place in Franklin were admirably expressive of the venera- 
tion of the state. Mr. McCall's depiction was eminently artistic 
in the high lights in which Webster's characteristics were set forth 
with such simplicit}', felicity and restraint. To re-create the 
familiar with such an impress of freshness and originality of 
handhng is an essay which is here shown wnth surpassing success. 

From now on the attraction to this old homestead will be un- 
failing. The birth place of Daniel Webster can never cease to 
be of moving affection to his countrymen. Another memorial 
of world-wide interest has been added to the treasures of New 
Hampshire. 

The Keene Sentinel. 

The opening of the birth j^lace of Daniel Webster to the pubhc 
was recently accomplished with a wealth of oratory and eloquence. 
The restoration of the old house has been brought about by 
admirers of the great statesman, and the house will be open as a 
memorial for the use of the public who care to visit it. It is a 
worthy object, a memorial to the great nationalist and defender 
of the constitution. He ]irepared the loyal citizens of our coun- 
try for the great civil war, although he did not live to see the 
struggle l^etween the two sections. 

The tril)utes of the speakers and the writers at the memorial 
exercises were worthy of their themes. Among the best stands 
that of former Congressman McCall of ]\Iassachusetts, eulogist 



101 

of Webster at the anniversary exercises at Dartmouth College 
several years ago. 

The Dover Democrat. 

That was a great and notable celebration they had at Franklin 
Thursday in honor of the memory of Daniel Webster, when formal 
exercises were performed in dedicating the restored birth place 
of New Hampshire's greatest son. The historical and patriotic 
speeches were first class and did honor to the man for whose 
memory they spoke. New Hampshire now has the real thing 
to show visitors. It may not rival Virginia's Mt. Vernon, or 
Monticello, but as the years pass, and the men who actually saw 
Daniel W^ebster have passed on, this uniquely restored birth place 
of the greatest orator America has produced will grow more 
precious with the succeeding years. 

The Concord Monitor. 
The Restoeation a Good Thing. 

It is good to hear that since the dedication of the restored 
Daniel Webster birth place there are many visitors to it daily 
and that a large percentage of the motor tourists through the 
Merrimack valley make the detour of a few miles at Franklin 
which is necessary to reach the site. 

It is good to hear this because it shows that the spirit of ven- 
eration is not yet dead among us; that we still hold in respect 
the great names of our history and are interested in the places 
connected intimately with their lives and achievements. 

It is good to hear this, also, because it shows that far from all 
of our tourist visitors are chiefly interested in getting over our 
good roads and incidentally wearing them out, as fast as possi- 
ble, without much regard for anything but the comparative 
excellence of the chefs and cuisines at the morning, noon and 
night stopping places. 

;Many of the increasing thousands who come to us every spring 
and summer and autumn are genuinely appreciative of such of 
the attractions of New Hampshire as are brought to their atten- 
tion. They admir(> our magnificent scenery and they take a 
real interest in our history when they come to know about it. 

The restoration of the Daniel Webster birth place, with the 



102 

wide puljlicity which lias been given to tlie gooil work, has clone 
great ser%'ice in tlius enlightening the public. There are many 
other ways in which it could and should be further carried on. 

To mention but one way, whicli a local hotel has successfully 
initiated, the hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, tea rooms, 
garages and other places visited and patronized by the traveling 
public should have for distribution printed lists of the sights 
worth seeing in their immediate vicinity. A party's stay for an 
hour may thereby in many cases be prolonged for a day or for 
several days. 

And that is what we all should wish and work for — to have 
our visitors stay wath us long and get as well acquainted with 
us and as interested in us, our people, our state and our history 
as possible. 

The Concord Monitor, August 25, 1913. 

The birth place of Daniel Webster is today restored to its orig- 
inal site and its original form, and thus the hopes of those active 
in this patriotic project are at last realized. The birth place 
and other buildings on the Webster place are to be held in sacred 
trust by an incorporated association of public-sj)irited men of 
New Hampshire, to be cared for and permanent h' preserved. 
To this place, as to a patriotic shrine, coming generations will 
wend their way, here to learn something of the hardships of the 
early generations of our nation's history, here see a typical home 
of that period of frontier life with its jirivations as well as its 
dangers. The place and its surroundings will j^eculiarly illus- 
trate the modest home of by-gone days, where all the domestic 
virtues were developed and filial and fraternal ties strengthened 
— and where from the well-conned pages of the Holy Bible was 
procured, as promised to all who seek, the sought-for light, and 
from which was generated the warm atmosphere of mutual love 
and devotion, wherein, as a result, peace as well as high jiurpose 
did abound and abide. 

It Avill be a weak and witless man Avho. coming here, has not 
spread before him a i)age of our nation's history that is of ines- 
timable as well as of ever-increasing value — who takes not with 
him a kceni'r and tiucr insight into the danger and the struggle 
of patriotic sires — and {-onu-s not away with an ajij^reciation 
hitherto unknown of the cost if not the value of liberties regulated 



103 

by law from ocean to ocean, from lakes to the gulf, — with one 
common language and one common national aspiration, to wit 
(as uttered l)y another honn^ly ])ut no less true American than 
was here given birth), that government of the people, by the 
people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. 

New England holds within her borders many historic shrines, 
precious in the sight of every liberty-loving American. Each 
one in turn awakens memories which excite a thrill in and quicken 
the beating of every patriotic heart. It thus holds Plymouth 
Rock and Provincetown. It holds Boston, and Concord and 
Lexington and Bunker Hill. And this celebration commemo- 
rates the dedication to the American people for all time of an- 
other historic place, to which thoughtful parents will bring their 
sons and their daughters, here to learn lessons, and from which 
will be drawn inspirations not suggested by any other place. 

The South has its Mount ^'ernon, made forever sacred by the 
dust of Washington there reposing. The historic Potomac River 
lies very close to the heart of the American people, for its waters 
once reddened by the blood of a bitter Civil War lash the shores 
of that beautiful estate, in perpetual requiem of this greatest of 
good men and the best of great men. From that stately man- 
sion of wealth and power, and the nearby place of sepulture, 
the visitor comes away with his intellect stirred by the high aims 
faithfully adhered to throughout his marvelous career of oppor- 
tunity, by reflection upon the wisdom and the wonderful influ- 
ence upon his associates and contemporaries, and more than 
ever strengthened in the belief that only by the aid of a kind 
Providence was this austere man given to l)ring deliverance to 
this nation in the germinal period of its existence. 

New Hampshire today presents to the Repul)lic a shrine hardly 
less sacred, — but where not only the intellect l)ut the kindliest im- 
pulses of the heart arc stirred and which, as with ]Mount \'(>rnon, 
"svill grow more precious with each succeeding year; the Republic, 
whose present form may well be said to be due to the powerful 
influence and great example of Washington, stands before the 
world today, higher in honor than ever before in its history, an 
example to every people of the globe, a light and inspiration to 
mankind. Not a stripe of its flag has been erased, not a single 
star has been obscured. This happy condition, pictured by Mr. 
Webster as no other public man of his day was able to present 



104 

it to the American people, is now realized. Love of an insepa- 
rable and indissoluble union of the states was with him a passion. 
Great and powerful and learned and eloquent as he was he in- 
spired the thoughts and aspirations of his time as no other man 
in any countr}- in the written history of the ages Avas enabled 
to do, but at the sacrifice of high ambitions and life-long friend- 
ships; at the hazard of losing the love and loyal devotion of life- 
long adherents throughout the Republic won by a long life of 
high endeavor and great achievement, he strove hard to avert 
the on-coming conflict. He truly was a prophet, for he saw 
into the future with further ken than any other man of his day, 
a future not far distant — which would not only engulf the nation 
in civil and fraternal strife, but bring distress and death to al- 
most every home in the land, his own household among the 
number. 

In this present happy condition of a united country, with the 
blessings of a union which he strove to perpetuate unbroken, 
and all the greater because of the civil strife now fast fading from 
memorj', its resentments fast becoming obliterated, and A\ith 
its disturbing cause forever removed, the people of this nation 
are today able to see the modest habitation restored to its first 
condition in which was born to humble parents, and where the 
first lessons in life struggle were learned, a man whose labors, 
supplementing those of the revered AVashington, have placed 
his memory under the perpetual debt of the American people. 

The Concord Motiitcr. 

The fates were kind to the Webster Birth Place Association 
on Thursday in all respcH'ts save onc^ — the single regret lacing 
that former Senator A\'illiam E. Chandler was unable to be pres- 
ent to witness the success which has crowned his eft'orts in bring- 
ing the Association's work to t'luitioii. 

-Mr. ('handlers prepondciant share in the uiulertaking was 
fully recognized by all antl was fittingly characterized by Chief 
Justice Parsons in his ojiening atUlress. It was given further 
recognition just i)rior to the reading of ^\v. ("handler's jirepared 
address when tiie Hon. Clarence K. Carr moved that the thanks 
of the Association and of the audi(>nce be sent to Air. ('hamller 
fur iiis woik in behalf of the cause ami that the gathering voice 



105 

its best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery from the ill- 
ness which kept Mr. Chandler at home. 

A unanimous rising vote carried this motion. 

The only speakers not previously announced in the program 
were two veteran sons of New Hampshire, Judge David Cross 
of ^Manchester and the Rev. Dr. Arthur Little of Newton, Mass. 
Their vigorous discourses gave much pleasure to their hearers. 

It is seldom that a speaking program of such length sustains 
itself at so high a level of excellence. The presiding officer, 
though summoned hastily to take the chair, was most happy 
both in his opening address and in the brief characterizations 
with which he presented the several speakers; and they, in turn, 
whether speaking from preparation or impromptu, took up, with 
little overlapping of thought, the salient features in the great 
career which made the celebration possible. 

The central feature of the program, of course, was Mr. McCall's 
oration; and in it he once more, to use Senator Chandler's phrase, 
" eulogized Mr. Webster and his works with discrimination, power 
and eloquence." 

The attendance was large and representative; and fully met 
the fondest expectations of the celebration's managers. 

INIuch credit is due to the Franklin committees of arrange- 
ment, who planned with admirable forethought to meet all the 
needs of the occasion. To the Rev. Rufus P. Gardner of the 
Orphans' Home at Elms Farm, the large audience is especially 
indebted for the excellent planning which made them so com- 
fortably situated for the long program of oratory and music. 

The Concord Monitor. 

There is still a chance for all to aid in the good work of 
preserving the Dani(4 AVcbster birth ]:)lace by joining the Asso- 
ciation and contributing to its permanent fund. 

Incidentally it may be remarked that Dartmouth College had 
the splendid representation which was appropriate for it on the 
Daniel Webster birth place program. President Nichols and 
that distinguished alumnus, Hon. Samuel W. McCall, were both 
at their best on the great occasion. 



106 

The New York Tribune, August 29, 1913. 
Doing Homage to Webster. 

pRANKLix, X. H., Aug. 28. — Exercises celebrating the restora- 
tion of the house in whicli Daniel Webster was born on January 
18, 1782, took place today. 

The homestead is a small wooden structure, about two and a 
half miles west of the business district of Franklin, and was fast 
falling into decay when it was acquired by the AVebster Associa- 
tion, which took over the whole Webster estate of about one 
hundred and thirty acres. 

When Webster first saw the light, the home stood in what was 
then the town of Salisbury, but in 1823 the place was incorporated 
in the town of Franklin. 

Among the speakers today were Governor S. D. Felker and 
•ex-Representative Samuel W. McCall of ^lassachusetts. 

The Youth^s Companion. 

The issue of August 21 has a sketch by Park Pressey of the 
restored birth place with exquisite pictures of the same, and as it 
was before restoration when it stood as it had been used for a 
part of the larger mansion house, also with a picture of the Wel)- 
ster house at Elms Farm. 



APPENDIX TO MR. CHANDLER'S REMARKS. 

Decoration Day Address of William E. Chandler, 
ON Thursday, May 30, 1889, at Nashua, N. H., 
Before John G. Foster Post No. 7, G. A. R. 

[Extracts from Part Relating to History of Slavery.] 

It would not be wise, within the limits of this discourse, to 
attempt to give a history of American slavery. From its feeble 
inception, and its recognition in the Constitution of 1788, the 
authors of which instrument did not venture there to call it by 
its dishonoring name, down to its final destruction, in 1866, by 
the 13th amendment of that Constitution, an outline of events 
will suffice for present purposes. 

At first slavery assumed somewhat the character of a paternal 
institution. Its evils were a cloud no bigger than a man's hand. 
It seemed unnatural to America, and our forefathers believed 
that it would gradually disappear at no distant day. But at 
last it became the great, overwhelming national evil, the sum of 
all villainies, dominating all other interests, by reason of the 
acquisition of the slave regions of Louisiana, and the invention 
by Eli Whitney of the cotton gin, which caused an increased 
adaptation of slave labor to the production of the great American 
staple. Cotton becoming the chief American product for expor- 
tation, the South grew rich and prosperous through its culture. 
Cotton became king. The cotton lords became the wealthiest 
class in the country. 

But wealth was not the only advantage which slavery came to 
give to the South. It was also soon discovered by the slave- 
owners that slavery, thus made so profitable, would give them 
overwhelming political power in the government, such as the 
framers of the Constitution had not imagined when they pro- 
vided that in fixing the basis of representation in the Presidential 
Electoral College and for representatives in the popular branch 
of the National congress, there should be added to the total white 
population three fifths of all other persons, meaning the slave 
population. As the inevitable result the South took control of 

107 



108 

the government. A slave aristocrac\' grew up which dominated 
the nation with inexorable power. It controlled every congress, 
it selected all Presidents, it took possession of the supreme court; 
and when the Northern conscience concerning slaver}' — found to 
be thus protected and favored by the Constitution — began to 
show itself, the slave-owners resisted all attempts to restrict or 
limit the institution, or to place it where the founders of the 
Constitution believed it should be placed — in a condition of 
progress towards final extinction. 

The declared policy of the slaveholding interests soon came to 
be this, — that the slave states should exceed, or at all events 
equal, the free states, so that there should never be a majority 
from the free states in the United States senate; and that when- 
ever in the growth of the nation new states should be added to 
the Union, if the slave states could not be kept in the majority, 
there should, at least, be admitted a slave state for every free 
state, so that there should be no opportunity afforded by legis- 
lation for weakening slavery in its intrenched position in the 
National government. 

The thirteen original states had arranged themselves seven, 
free, six slave. Louisiana, with slavery, became a state in 1812; 
and the free and slave states were thus made equal. Thenceforth 
the slave power took care that new states should come in only 
in pairs: — Kentucky and Vermont; Tennessee and Ohio; Indiana 
and Mississippi; Illinois and Alabama; Elaine and ^Missouri 
(the free states here gaining the jMissouri Compromise, dedicat- 
ing to freedom in the future all the Louisiana purchase, except 
Missouri, north of 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude) ; Arkansas 
and Michigan; Florida and Iowa. When Mr. Polk became 
President, fifteen states had been admitted — eight slave and seven 
free; and the states were twenty-eight in number — free fourteen, 
slave fourteen. Next the Mexican War, unjustifiably waged to 
enlarge the area of slavery, gave to the Union the slave state of 
Texas; but the free state of Wisconsin was close at the door and 
kept the balance even. 

But in proportion as slavery, through the facilities which it 
afforded for acquiring wealth, and through the political power 
which it gave to ambitious men, strengthened its hoUl upon the 
South and the nation; so hatred of slavery, based upon its in- 
hun-an and undirivtian cliMractcr. urcw stronger at the North. 



lUU 

Widespread agitation began; the privilege of free speech was fully 
exercised; and that great anti-slaverj^ conflict ensued, the ac- 
counts of which must form the greater part of our history during 
our first hundred years; and this conflict, from the very consti- 
tution of human nature, could end only in the destruction of 
slavery or in its complete and overwhelming ascendency in the 
nation. 

]Mr. Lincoln and Mv. Seward are both recorded as having said 
that it was impossible that this country could long exist half 
slave and half free. At Springfield, Illinois, June 17, 1858, Mr. 
Lincoln said, — "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I 
believe this government cannot permanently endure half slave 
a,nd half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do 
not expect the house to fall; but I do expect that it will cease to 
be divided. It will become all one thing or all another. Either 
the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it and 
place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in 
the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it 
forward until it shall become alike lawful in all the states, old as 
well as new, North as well as South." 

At Kochester, New York, October 25, 1858, Mr. Seward said,— 
"It is an irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring 
forces, and it means that the United States must and will, sooner 
or later, become either entirely a slaveholding nation, or entirely 
a free labor nation. Either the cotton and rice fields of South 
CaroHna and the sugar plantations of Louisiana will ultimately 
be tilled by free labor, and Charleston and New Orleans become 
marts for legitimate merchandise only, or else the rye fields and 
wheat fields of Massachusetts and New York must again be sur- 
rendered by their farmers to slave culture and to the production 
of slaves, and Boston and New York become once more markets 
for trade in the bodies and souls of men." 

In 1850 the contest over slavery assumed such proportions and 
such bitterness that good men of all parties found their fears lest 
there should be a dissolution of the L'nion reaching a culminating 
point. As a result of this crisis of fear the compromise measures 
of that year were adopted, and during the presidential canvass of 
1852 both political parties of the country acquiesced in them, 
and declared them to be final and perpetual. But the result of 
the election of 1852, when a pro-slavery president was chosen 



110 

from New Hampshire, indicated to the slave interests that the 
Northern people, in their fears that the slavery conflict would 
bring a dissolution of the Union, would submit to almost any 
measure for the protection of slavery which might be demanded 
by its advocates. The compromises of 1850 had also proved 
unsatisfactory to the South. Although it had obtained the 
passage of a fugitive slave law, it had been compelled to consent 
to the admission of the free state of California, which had sud- 
denly through the discovery of gold sprung into being as a great 
and prosperous commonwealth, and this admission, without 
that of any counterbalancing slave state, had at last broken the 
Southern scheme and made the Union of states one containing 
sixteen free states to fifteen slave states. 

From these two conditions — the belief that the North would 
submit to every demand of slaverj-, and the dissatisfaction of 
the South because it had lost the balance of power — came the 
repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which repeal, it was absurdly 
contended, was a legitimate outcome of the compromises of 1850, 
whereas it was in fact an absolute violation and destruction of 
those measures, and opened up to slavery' a vast and fertile 
territory which under the ^Missouri Compromise had been forever 
consecrated to liberty and to free institutions. 

In aid of the new Southern demand came the Drcd Scott 
Decision, in which the Supreme Court asserted a principle never 
before seriously contended for by the South, that slavery instead 
of being an exceptional and local institution was entitled to be 
universal and national, and that the slave-owner had a right to 
take and hold his slaves in all the territories of the Union. With 
this reopening of the anti-slavery struggle, came the memorable 
conflict on the plains of Kansas to decide whether that territory 
should become another free state, to give to freedom two majority 
of the states, or whether it should be wrested from freedom and 
admitted as a slave state under the Lecompton constitution, to 
make the slave states again ccjual in number to the free states. 

In this momentous contest the North and freedom triumpheil. 
The dark tide of slavery which had swept from Missouri over the 
Kansas border, was driven back; free state settlers from New 
England controlled Kansns. and thwarted all attempts of the 
slave power to organize its government. The issue, which had 
become the al)sor))ing national question, was taken into the 



HI 

presidential election of 18G0. The Republican party, which had 
been formed to resist slavery extension, nominated J\Ir. Lincoln. 
The Democratic party broke into two fragments, and Mr. Lin- 
coln was elected President. This election of Mr. Lincoln cer- 
tainly gave no just cause for war, but the South saw in the result 
the defeat of their plans for slavery extension, and the destruction 
of their method of protection for slavery. They determined to 
resist the new administration facing toward freedom: they or- 
ganized a Southern Confederacy based on slavery: and thus came 
our great conflict, a battle on the one side for the dissolution of 
the Union in order to secure the extension into free territory of 
the crime of human slavery, and on the other side a contest for 
the restriction of slavery within its existing limits, the consecra- 
tion to freedom of all the great unorganized territories of the 
United States, and the ascendency of freedom in America through 
the maintenance unbroken of the Constitution and the Union. 
Thus it clearly appears that the war was on account of slavery, 
and did not arise from any other cause. 



[Following this page is a fac simile of the poem written for 
the occasion by Miss Edna Dean Proctor] 



1 

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39 « 



THE WKBSTEH BIRTH PLACE ASSOCIATION. 

Ol'' FliANKLIN, NKW HAMPSHIKE. 




As will be seen by visitors the large ilwellinghouse, barn and other 
buildings are out of repair. Urgent repairs have been made upon them, but 
much yet remains to be done. The grounds and approaches also call for 
expeniiiture beyond the present resources of the Association. 

The legislature of New Hampshire at its late session voted aid to the 
extent of $1500, and exempted the property from taxation. 

The only source of future income will be fees of members and donations. 
The fees have been fixed as follows: 

Life membership, $100, — with no liability for future dues. 

Active membership, $10, — with only such future gifts as may hereafter 
be voluntarily' paid. 

It has been the hope that generous and public-spirited admirers of Mr. 
Webster, especially from liis native State of Now Haniiishire, would resjjond 
by donations. It is desired to raise not less than $-0,000 for the purposes 
above indicated, — as \vell as for appropriate and j)ermanent care of the 
property. The oflBcers of the Association will make public annual reports 
of all receipts and expenditures, — and also make acknowledgment of all 
moneys received from every source. 

The undersigned have been appointed a committee to solicit new members 
and contributions. We seek as many life members and donations as we 
can obtain, but are exceedingly desirous of having as annual members those 
friends who feel that they cannot afford, or do not care to become life mem- 
bers, and we are much in immediate need of such $10 memberships as they 
may be willing to use as their method of now making such contributions 
even without continuing their memberships. Under the bylaws no one can 
be made liable for any future payment without his express prior consent. 
Applications for memberships, with checks, may be sent to the Treasurer, 
Dr. John W. Staples, Franklin, N. H., or remittances may be made to any 
one of the undersigned: 

Ai.VAH W. SuLLOWAY, Franklin. 
Edward G. Leach, Franklin, Committee 

Clarence E. Carr, Andover, on 

Jacob H. Gallinoer, Concord, Membership. 

William E. Chaxdlkr, Concord, 

October 11, 1913. 



DEC 12 1913 




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The Restored Birth Place House. 
Photofjrapli by Hon. George H. Leighton, Monailnock, N. H. 




TiiK Lak(;kk Mansion HofSE. 
Photograjih by Hon. George B. Leighton, Monadnock, N. H. 



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